1 Corinthians 15

The Resurrection of Christ

1 Now I would remind you, brothers,t of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19 If in Christ we have hopet in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.27 For "Godt has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?30 Why are we in danger every hour?31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."t34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?"36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being";t the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shallt also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Mystery and Victory

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
"Death is swallowed up in victory."
55  "O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15

1 Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand,2 by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,8 and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.9 For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.10 But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was bestowed on me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

11 Whether then it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.
12 Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.14 If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain.15 Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up, if it is so that the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised.17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.18 Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep.21 For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man.22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming.24 Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power.25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.27 For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.”t But when he says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him.28 When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.29 Or else what will they do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead aren’t raised at all, why then are they baptized for the dead?30 Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.32 If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”t33 Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”34 Wake up righteously, and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised?” and, “With what kind of body do they come?”36 You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies.37 That which you sow, you don’t sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind.38 But God gives it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own.39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.40 There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial.41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body.
45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.”t The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.46 However that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual.47 The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven.48 As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.49 As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’st also bear the image of the heavenly.

50 Now I say this, brothers,t that flesh and blood can’t inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruptioninherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 But when this corruptible will have put on incorruption, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”t
55 “Death, where is your sting?
Hadest, where is your victory?”t
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.