It was published in 1524 in the Erfurt Enchiridion and in Walter's choral hymnal Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn.

In early editions the hymn, in seven stanzas, was indicated as an improved (German: gebessert) version of "Christ ist erstanden".

The final stanza recalls the tradition of baking and eating Easter Bread, with the "old leaven" alluding again to the exodus, in contrast to the "Word of Grace", concluding "Christ would ... alone nourish the soul."

1 Christ lag in Todesbanden, für unsre Sünd gegeben, der ist wieder erstanden und hat uns bracht das Leben.

2 Den Tod niemand zwingen konnt bei allen Menschenkindern; das macht alles unsre Sünd, kein Unschuld war zu finden.

3 Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn, an unser Statt ist kommen und hat die Sünde abgetan, damit dem Tod genommen all sein Recht und sein Gewalt; da bleibt nichts denn Tods Gestalt, den Stachel hat er verloren.

Christ lay in Death's dark prison, It was our sin that bound Him; This day hath He arisen, And sheds new life around Him.

O'er Death no man could prevail, If mortal e'er came near him; Through guilt all our strength would fail, Our sinful hearts did fear him.

The melody as set by Luther (with help from Walter) seems to have strong correlations with parts of the Eucharistic sequence for Easter, Victimae paschali laudes,[2] believed to have been written by Wipo of Burgundy in the 11th century.

This was transformed, gradually into a "Leise", a devotional German pre-Reformation song with a number of stanzas, but maintaining strong characteristics of plainsong.

[3] Johann Walter published "Christ lag in Todes Banden" with two variants of the hymn tune in 1524: Zahn No.

[4][5][3][6] The following four-part setting, with the last stanza of the hymn as text, is taken from his Christ lag in Todes Banden chorale cantata:

In 1524 "Christ lag in Todesbanden" was published in the Erfurt Enchiridion and in Walter's choral hymnal Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn.

[7] It also appears in various translations in English hymnals, the most common one being "Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands" by Richard Massie.

[8] As one of the principal Lutheran hymns for Easter, "Christ lag in Todesbanden" appears in several vocal and organ compositions of the Baroque Era,[2] for example by