1 Corinthians 15

The Good News About Christ

1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to remember the Good News I brought to you. You received this Good News and continue strong in it.

2 And you are being saved by it if you continue believing what I told you. If you do not, then you believed for nothing.
3 I passed on to you what I received, of which this was most important: that Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say;4 that he was buried and was raised to life on the third day as the Scriptures say;5 and that he was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles.6 After that, Jesus was seen by more than five hundred of the believers at the same time. Most of them are still living today, but some have died.7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.8 Last of all he was seen by me—as by a person not born at the normal time.9 All the other apostles are greater than I am. I am not even good enough to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.10 But God’s grace has made me what I am, and his grace to me was not wasted. I worked harder than all the other apostles. (But it was not I really; it was God’s grace that was with me.)

11 So if I preached to you or the other apostles preached to you, we all preach the same thing, and this is what you believed.

We Will Be Raised from the Dead

12 Now since we preached that Christ was raised from the dead, why do some of you say that people will not be raised from the dead?13 If no one is ever raised from the dead, then Christ has not been raised.14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is worth nothing, and your faith is worth nothing.15 And also, we are guilty of lying about God, because we testified of him that he raised Christ from the dead. But if people are not raised from the dead, then God never raised Christ.16 If the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised either.17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith has nothing to it; you are still guilty of your sins.18 And those in Christ who have already died are lost.

19 If our hope in Christ is for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone else in the world.
20 But Christ has truly been raised from the dead—the first one and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised.21 Death has come because of what one man did, but the rising from death also comes because of one man.22 In Adam all of us die. In the same way, in Christ all of us will be made alive again.23 But everyone will be raised to life in the right order. Christ was first to be raised. When Christ comes again, those who belong to him will be raised to life,24 and then the end will come. At that time Christ will destroy all rulers, authorities, and powers, and he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father.25 Christ must rule until he puts all enemies under his control.26 The last enemy to be destroyed will be death.27 The Scripture says that God put all things under his control. 

28 After everything has been put under the Son, then he will put himself under God, who had put all things under him. Then God will be the complete ruler over everything.

29 If the dead are never raised, what will people do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people being baptized for them?
30 And what about us? Why do we put ourselves in danger every hour?31 I die every day. That is true, brothers and sisters, just as it is true that I brag about you in Christ Jesus our Lord.32 If I fought wild animals in Ephesus only with human hopes, I have gained nothing. If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we will die.” 33 Do not be fooled: “Bad friends will ruin good habits.”

34 Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning. Some of you do not know God—I say this to shame you.

What Kind of Body Will We Have?

35 But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?”36 Foolish person! When you sow a seed, it must die in the ground before it can live and grow.37 And when you sow it, it does not have the same “body” it will have later. What you sow is only a bare seed, maybe wheat or something else.38 But God gives it a body that he has planned for it, and God gives each kind of seed its own body.39 All things made of flesh are not the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds have another, and fish have another.40 Also there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the beauty of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the beauty of the earthly bodies is another.

41 The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon has another beauty, and the stars have another. And each star is different in its beauty.
42 It is the same with the dead who are raised to life. The body that is “planted” will ruin and decay, but it is raised to a life that cannot be destroyed.43 When the body is “planted,” it is without honor, but it is raised in glory. When the body is “planted,” it is weak, but when it is raised, it is powerful.

44 The body that is “planted” is a physical body. When it is raised, it is a spiritual body.
There is a physical body, and there is also a spiritual body.45 It is written in the Scriptures: “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the physical and then the spiritual.47 The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven.48 People who belong to the earth are like the first man of earth. But those people who belong to heaven are like the man of heaven.49 Just as we were made like the man of earth, so we will 50 I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot have a part in the kingdom of God. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins.51 But look! I tell you this secret: We will not all sleep in death, but we will all be changed.52 It will take only a second—as quickly as an eye blinks—when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and those who have died will be raised to live forever, and we will all be changed.53 This body that can be destroyed must clothe itself with something that can never be destroyed. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that can never die.

54 So this body that can be destroyed will clothe itself with that which can never be destroyed, and this body that dies will clothe itself with that which can never die. When this happens, this Scripture will be made true:
“Death is destroyed forever in victory.” t

55 “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your pain?” t
56 Death’s power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

1 Corinthians 15

1 Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been 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 above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep;7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles;8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also.9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet 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 which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.11 Whether then it be I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.12 Now if Christ is preached that he hath been raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised:14 and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain.15 Yea, we are found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised:17 and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.18 Then they also that 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 hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.21 For since by man came death, by man came 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 they that are Christ’s, at his coming.24 Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power.25 For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet.26 The last enemy that shall be abolished is death.27 For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him.28 And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all.29 Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?30 Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?31 I protest by that glorifying in you, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.32 If after the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.33 Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.34 Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to shame.35 But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come?36 Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die:37 and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind;38 but God giveth 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, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes.40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth 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. 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 soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.46 Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual.47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven.48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have 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 The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:57 but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.