Bible Encyclopedias
Sting

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sting ( פּרשׁ , pārash , "to cut into"; κέντρον , kéntron , "a goad," "spur"): A sharp, pointed organ or instrument for inflicting wounds by puncture; sting of an adder, Proverbs 23:32; of scorpions, Revelation 9:10 . In the free quotation of 1 Corinthians 15:55 from Hosea 13:14 , death is personified as a deadly animal, like a scorpion or serpent, which inflicts destruction by means of sin as its kentron. It should also be remembered that in Acts 26:14 the same Greek word is used with reference to an instrument for exciting fear, rather than death. Both figures are pertinent; for death is powerless, except through sin, and, also, when sin is vanquished, the fear of death ( Hebrews 2:15 ) is gone.