1 Corinthians 15

1 NOW I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand;2 By which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.3 For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures:5 And that he was seen by Cephas; and after that by the eleven.6 Then he was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once: of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep.7 After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles.8 And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time.9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy 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 in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me.11 For whether I, or they, so we preach, and so you have believed.12 Now if Christ be preached, that he arose again from the dead, how do some among you say, that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen again.14 And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we have given testimony against God, that he hath raised up Christ; whom he hath not raised up, if the dead rise not again.16 For if the dead rise not again, neither is Christ risen again.17 And if Christ be not risen again, your faith is vain, for you are yet in your sins.18 Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep :21 For by a man came death, and by a man the resurrection of the dead.22 And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.23 But every one in his own order: the firstfruits Christ, then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming.24 Afterwards the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have brought to nought all principality, and power, and virtue.25 For he must reign, until he hath put all his enemies under his feet.26 And the enemy death shall be destroyed last: For he hath put all things under his feet. And whereas he saith,27 All things are put under him; undoubtedly, he is excepted, who put all things under him.28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then the Son also himself shall be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.29 Otherwise what shall they do that are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not again at all? why are they then baptized for them?30 Why also are we in danger every hour?31 I die daily, I protest by your glory, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.32 If (according to man) I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me, if the dead rise not again? Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die.33 Be not seduced: Evil communications corrupt good manners.34 Awake, ye just, and sin not. For some have not the knowledge of God, I speak it to your shame.35 But some man will say: How do the dead rise again? or with what manner of body shall they come?36 Senseless man, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die first.37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be; but bare grain, as of wheat, or of some of the rest.38 But God giveth it a body as he will: and to every seed its proper body.39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but one is the flesh of men, another of beasts, another of birds, another of fishes.40 And there are bodies celestial, and bodies terrestrial: but, one is the glory of the celestial, and another of the terrestrial.41 One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, and another the glory of the stars. For star differeth from star in glory.42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption.43 It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory. It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power.44 It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body. If there be a natural body, there is also a spiritual body, as it is written:45 The first man Adam was made into a living soul; the last Adam into a quickening spirit.46 Yet that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; afterwards that which is spiritual.47 The first man was of the earth, earthly: the second man, from heaven, heavenly.48 Such as is the earthly, such also are the earthly: and such as is the heavenly, such also are they that are heavenly.49 Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly.50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God: neither shall corruption possess incorruption.51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall all indeed rise again: but we shall not all be changed.52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible: and we shall be changed.53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality.54 And when this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.55 O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?56 Now the sting of death is sin: and the power of sin is the law.57 But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast and unmoveable; always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15

Christ’s Resurrection

1 Now I want to make clear for you,t brothers and sisters,t the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand,2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you – unless you believed in vain.3 For I passed on to you as of first importancet what I also received – that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,4 and that he was buried, and that he was raisedt on the third day according to the scriptures,5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisterst at one time, most of whom are still alive,t though some have fallen asleep.t7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time,s he appeared to me also.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 to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

11 Whether then it was I or they, this is the way we preach and this is the way you believed.

No Resurrection?

12 Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead,t how can some of you say 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 futile and your faith is empty.15 Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised.17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins.18 Furthermore, those who have fallen asleept in Christ have also perished.

19 For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21 For since death came through a man,t the resurrection of the dead also came through a man.t22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him.t24 Thent comes the end,t when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end 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 to be eliminated is death.27 For he has put everything in subjection under his feet.s But when it says “everything” has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him.

28 And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead?s If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they baptized for them?30 Why too are we in danger every hour?31 Every day I am in danger of death! This is as sure ast my boasting in you,s which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.32 If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus,s what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.s33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”s

34 Sober up as you should, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God – I say this to your shame!

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”36 Fool! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies.37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare seedt – perhaps of wheat or something else.38 But God gives it a body just as he planned, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.39 All flesh is not the same: People have one flesh, animals have another, birds and fish another.t40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The glory of the heavenly body is one sort and the earthly 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 It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.t43 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 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living person”;t the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.46 However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.47 The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven.48 Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly.

49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bears the image of the man of heaven.
50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters:t Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.51 Listen,t I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep,st but we will all be changed –52 in a moment, in the blinkingt of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

54 Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen,
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”s

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”s
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 So then, dear brothers and sisters,t be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.