15 My Christian friends, I want you to remember the good news that I taught to you. You received it from me and you continue to believe it as a true message. 2 Because of the message that I spoke to you, God will save you. He will save you if you continue to trust that same good news. If you do not, you have believed it for nothing.
3 I received the good news from Christ, and I told that message to you. I told you the most important things:
Christ died as a sacrifice for our sins. The Bible already said how that would happen. 4 People buried his dead body. On the third day after that God raised him up to live again. The Bible already spoke about that too.
5 After that, Christ appeared to Peter. Later, he appeared to his 12 disciples. 6 And after that, he appeared to more than 500 believers at the same time. Most of those 500 people are still alive, but some of them have died. 7 Then Christ appeared to James. Later he appeared to all the apostles.
8 After all these people had seen him, Christ also appeared to me. I was like someone who was born at the wrong time. 9 Among all the apostles, I am the least important. I caused so much trouble for God's church that people should not really call me an apostle. 10 But God was very kind to me. He helped me to become a different person. And because God has been so kind to me, the result has been great. I have worked more than all the other apostles. But it was not really I myself who could do that work. No, I could do it because God was so kind to me. 11 So then, all of us apostles teach the same good news about Christ. That is the message that you have believed. It does not matter which of us told it to you, whether it was me or someone else.
12 We all speak this message: God raised Christ up after his death. But some of you say that dead people do not live again. 13 Anyone who says that is wrong. If dead people do not live again, then Christ did not rise up after his death. He would still be dead. 14 And if God did not raise Christ up, it does no good for us to tell God's good news to people. There would be nothing for you to believe. 15 We would have been telling lies about God, because we told you that God raised Christ up after his death. But if dead people do not live again, that would not be true.
16 So, if dead people never rise to a new life, then Christ himself did not rise after his death. 17 And if Christ did not rise, then you have believed a false message. God would still say that you are guilty, because of your sins.
18 Also, think about those people who believed in Christ but they have already died. If dead people do not rise to a new life, those people would have no life with God. 19 As believers, we trust Christ to lead us into a new life after death. But if we only trust him to help us in this life, we should be very sad. Everybody should be very sorry for us, more than for anyone else.
20 But it is really true that God raised Christ up after his death. He rose up to go to God in heaven. He was the first, so we know that believers who die will also rise up.
21 All people die because of what one man did. That was Adam. [ a ] And it is because of another man that people can rise up after death to a new life. That is Christ. 22 As people, all of us belong to Adam's family. So all of us must die. But all people who belong to Christ will live again after death. 23 It is like this: First of all, Christ died and then he became alive again. Then, when Christ returns, his people will live again too. 24 After that, the end of everything will happen. Christ will win against every ruler and power and authority. He will give the kingdom to God, the Father. God will rule over everything.
25 Christ himself must rule as king until he has won against all his enemies. 26 The last enemy that he must destroy is death. 27 It says in the Bible, ‘God has put all things under his authority.’ [ b ]
But it is clear that the words ‘all things’ do not include God himself. No, because it is God who put all things under Christ's authority. 28 When God has put all things under Christ's authority, then God's Son, Jesus Christ, will put himself under his Father's authority. Then God will have complete authority over all things, everywhere.
29 Think about this. Some of you have let people baptize you on behalf of believers who have already died. But if dead people do not rise up to a new life, there is no reason to baptize anyone on their behalf. [ c ]
30 Also, think about us! All the time we are in great danger. 31 Yes, every day I come near to death! Why do I tell you this? It is because I am proud of you. I am proud because we all belong to Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 At Ephesus city, people attacked me like wild animals and I fought against them. [ d ] But that would be worth nothing to me if dead people do not rise to a new life. If dead people do not live again, then we could say:
‘Tomorrow we will probably die.
So we should just eat and drink as much as we like.’ [ e ]
33 Do not let anyone deceive you. Remember this:
‘If you become a friend of bad people, you also will live in a bad way.’
34 So start thinking properly! Stop doing wrong things! Some of you do not really know God. I am saying this to make you feel ashamed.
35 One of you may ask, ‘How does God raise dead people, to make them alive again? What kind of body will they have?’ 36 Do not think like a fool! When you plant a seed in the ground, it has to die first. Then it can become alive again and grow into a new plant. 37 You put just a seed into the ground. It might be wheat or it might be another kind of seed. You do not put into the ground the whole plant that the seed will become. 38 But God makes that seed become a plant. Each plant has its own special body that God has chosen for it.
39 Also, things that are alive do not have the same kind of body. People have one kind of body. Animals have a different kind of body. Birds and fish also have a different kind of body. 40 Also, there are things up in the sky that are different from the things here on the earth. They have different bodies. Also, the things in the sky are beautiful in a different way from the things on the earth. 41 The sun is beautiful in a special way. The moon is also beautiful in a special way, but it is different from the sun. The stars are beautiful too, and each star is beautiful in its own special way.
42 It is like that when God raises a dead person to a new life. We bury the dead person's body in the ground and it becomes spoiled. But when God raises it up, it will live for ever. 43 When we bury the body, it is not beautiful. But when God raises it up, it is very beautiful. When we bury the body, it is weak. But when God raises it, it is strong. 44 What we bury in the ground is a human body. But the body that God raises up is a spiritual body. There is a human body that belongs to this earth. So there also has to be a spiritual body that belongs to heaven.
45 It says in the Bible, ‘The first man, Adam, became a person who received life.’ [ f ] But Christ is like the last Adam. He is a spirit who gives life to people.
46 The spiritual body does not come first. No, what is human comes first. Then, after that, what is spiritual comes. 47 God used soil from the ground to make the first man, Adam. But the second man came from heaven. 48 People who live on the earth have bodies like the first man. That is the man that God made from the soil of the earth. People in heaven have bodies like the man who came from heaven. 49 Now God has given us bodies that look like the first man. One day we will have bodies that look like the man who belongs in heaven.
50 I tell you this, my Christian friends. Our weak human bodies cannot go to heaven, to join God in his kingdom there. Our human bodies will die. They cannot share in something that will continue for ever.
51 Listen to me. I will explain a great secret to you. Not all of us will die, but God will change all of us. 52 It will happen in a short moment, when the last trumpet makes a sound. When that trumpet makes its sound, God will raise up the believers who have died. He will give them bodies that can never die. In that way, he will change all of us.
53 That has to happen. Our bodies that are becoming spoiled must change. They must change into bodies that never become spoiled. Our bodies that are dying must change into bodies that will never die. 54 God will give us new bodies like that. When that happens, what is written in the Bible will become true. It says:
‘God has won against death. He has destroyed it completely!’ [ g ]
55 ‘Death, you can no longer win!
Death, you no longer have any power to hurt us!’ [ h ]
56 Death only has power to hurt us because of our sins. And it is the authority of God's Law that gives power to sins. 57 But now we thank God! Because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we win against death and its power.
58 So you must continue to be strong in your spirits, my Christian friends that I love. Do not let anything move you away from your faith. Continue to work hard as you serve the Lord. You know that whatever you do for him will not be useless.
15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to remember the Good News I told you. You received that Good News message, and you continue to base your life on it. 2 That Good News, the message you heard from me, is God’s way to save you. But you must continue believing it. If you don’t, you believed for nothing.
3 I gave you the message that I received. I told you the most important truths: 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 appeared to Peter and then to the twelve apostles. 6 After that Christ appeared to more than 500 other believers at the same time. Most of them are still living today, but some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James and later to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, he appeared to me. I was different, like a baby born before the normal time.
9 All the other apostles are greater than I am. I say this because I persecuted the church of God. That is why I am not even good enough to be called an apostle. 10 But, because of God’s grace, that is what I am. And his grace that he gave me was not wasted. I worked harder than all the other apostles. (But I was not really the one working. It was God’s grace that was with me.) 11 So then it is not important if I told you God’s message or if it was the other apostles who told you—we all tell people the same message, and this is what you believed.
12 We tell everyone that Christ was raised from death. So why do some of you say that people will not be raised from death? 13 If no one will ever be raised from death, then Christ has never been raised. 14 And if Christ has never been raised, then the message we tell is worth nothing. And your faith is worth nothing. 15 And we will also be guilty of lying about God, because we have told people about him, saying that he raised Christ from death. And if no one is raised from death, then God never raised Christ from death. 16 If those who have died are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised from death, then your faith is for nothing; 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 only for this life here on earth, then people should feel more sorry for us than for anyone else.
20 But Christ really has been raised from death—the first one of all those who will be raised. 21 Death comes to people because of what one man did. But now there is resurrection from death because of another man. 22 I mean that in Adam all of us die. And 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. Then, when Christ comes again, those who belong to him will be raised to life. 24 Then the end will come. Christ will destroy all rulers, authorities, and powers. Then he will give the kingdom to God the Father.
25 Christ must rule until God puts all enemies under his control. [ a ] 26 The last enemy to be destroyed will be death. 27 As the Scriptures say, “God put everything under his control.” [ b ] When it says that “everything” is put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself. God is the one putting everything under Christ’s control. 28 After everything has been put under Christ, then the Son himself will be put under God. God is the one who put everything under Christ. And Christ will be put under God so that God will be the complete ruler over everything.
29 If no one will ever be raised from death, then what will the people do who are baptized for those who have died? If the dead are never raised, then why are people baptized for them?
30 And what about us? Why do we put ourselves in danger every hour? 31 I face death every day. That is true, brothers and sisters, just as it is true that I am proud of what you are because of Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 I fought wild animals in Ephesus. If I did that only for human reasons, then I have gained nothing. If we are not raised from death, “Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we die.” [ c ]
33 Don’t be fooled: “Bad friends will ruin good habits.” 34 Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know God. I say this to shame you.
35 But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?” 36 These are stupid questions. When you plant something, it must die in the ground before it can live and grow. 37 And when you plant something, what you plant does not have the same “body” that it will have later. What you plant is only a seed, maybe wheat or something else. 38 But God gives it the body that he has planned for it, and he 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 yet another kind. 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 kind, and the stars have another. And each star is different in its beauty.
42 It will be the same when those who have died are raised to life. The body that is “planted” in the grave will ruin and decay, but it will be raised to a life that cannot be destroyed. 43 When the body is “planted,” it is without honor. But when it is raised, it will be great and glorious. When the body is “planted,” it is weak. But when it is raised, it will be full of power. 44 The body that is “planted” is a physical body. When it is raised, it will be a spiritual body.
There is a physical body. So there is also a spiritual body. 45 As the Scriptures say, “The first man, Adam, became a living person. [ d ] ” [ e ] But the last Adam [ f ] is a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual man did not come first. It was the physical man that came first; then came the spiritual. 47 The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. 48 All people belong to the earth. They are like that first man of earth. But those who belong to heaven are like that man of heaven. 49 We were made like that man of earth, so we will also be made like that man of heaven.
50 I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Our bodies of flesh and blood cannot have a part in God’s kingdom. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins. 51 But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. 52 It will only take the time of a second. We will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we will all be changed. 53 This body that ruins must clothe itself with something that will never ruin. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die. 54 So this body that ruins will clothe itself with that which never ruins. And this body that dies will clothe itself with that which never dies. When this happens, the Scriptures will be made true:
“Death is swallowed in victory.” ( A )
55 “O death, where is your victory?
Where is your power to hurt?” ( B )
56 Death’s power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But we thank God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don’t let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that 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 of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
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 in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which 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 is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
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 dishonour; 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 a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from 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 shew 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 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 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
15 Now ( A ) I make known to you, brothers and sisters , the ( B ) gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, ( C ) in which you also stand, 2 by which you also are saved, ( D ) if you hold firmly to [ a ] the word which I preached to you, ( E ) unless you believed in vain.
3 For ( F ) I handed down to you [ b ] as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died ( G ) for our sins ( H ) according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was ( I ) raised on the third day ( J ) according to the Scriptures, 5 and that ( K ) He appeared to [ c ] ( L ) Cephas, then ( M ) to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some ( N ) have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to [ d ] ( O ) James, then to ( P ) all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as [ e ] to one untimely born, ( Q ) He appeared to me also. 9 For I am ( R ) the least of the apostles, [ f ] and not fit to be called an apostle, because I ( S ) persecuted the church of God. 10 But by ( T ) the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I ( U ) labored even more than all of them, yet ( V ) not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then it was 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 ( W ) 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 ( X ) if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain. 15 Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified [ g ] against God that He ( Y ) raised [ h ] Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact 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 worthless; ( Z ) you are still in your sins. 18 Then also those who ( AA ) have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are ( AB ) of all people most to be pitied.
20 But the fact is, Christ ( AC ) has been raised from the dead, the ( AD ) first fruits of those who ( AE ) are asleep. 21 For since ( AF ) by a man death came , by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For ( AG ) as in Adam all die, so also in [ i ] Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ ( AH ) the first fruits, after that ( AI ) those who are Christ’s at ( AJ ) His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over ( AK ) the kingdom to our ( AL ) God and Father, when He has abolished ( AM ) all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign ( AN ) until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be ( AO ) abolished is death. 27 For ( AP ) He has put all things in subjection under His feet . But when He says, “ ( AQ ) All things are put in subjection,” it is clear that [ j ] this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When ( AR ) all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that ( AS ) God may be all in all.
29 For otherwise, what will those do who are baptized [ k ] for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized [ l ] for them? 30 Why are we also ( AT ) in danger every hour? 31 I affirm, brothers and sisters , by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that ( AU ) I die daily. 32 If [ m ] from human motives I ( AV ) fought with wild beasts at ( AW ) Ephesus, what good is it to me? If the dead are not raised, ( AX ) let ’ s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die . 33 ( AY ) Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 ( AZ ) Sober up [ n ] morally and stop sinning, for some have ( BA ) no knowledge of God. ( BB ) I say this to your shame.
35 But ( BC ) someone will say, “How are ( BD ) the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36 ( BE ) You fool! That which you ( BF ) sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of [ o ] something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and ( BG ) to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of mankind, another flesh of animals, another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 ( BH ) So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown [ p ] ( BI ) a perishable body , it is raised [ q ] ( BJ ) an imperishable body ; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in ( BK ) glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a ( BL ) natural body, it is raised a ( BM ) spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body . 45 So also it is written: “The first ( BN ) man , Adam, became a living [ r ] person .” The ( BO ) last Adam was a ( BP ) life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is ( BQ ) from the earth, [ s ] ( BR ) earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy one, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly one, ( BS ) so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have ( BT ) borne the image of the earthy, [ t ] we ( BU ) will also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now I say this, brothers and sisters , that ( BV ) flesh and blood cannot ( BW ) inherit the kingdom of God; nor does [ u ] the perishable inherit [ v ] ( BX ) the imperishable. 51 Behold, I am telling you a [ w ] ( BY ) mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be ( BZ ) changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for ( CA ) the trumpet will sound, and ( CB ) the dead will be raised [ x ] imperishable, and ( CC ) we will be changed. 53 For this [ y ] perishable must put on [ z ] ( CD ) the imperishable, and this ( CE ) mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this [ aa ] perishable puts on [ ab ] the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “ ( CF ) Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55 ( CG ) Where , O Death, is your victory ? Where , O Death, is your sting ?” 56 The sting of ( CH ) death is sin, and ( CI ) the power of sin is the Law; 57 but ( CJ ) thanks be to God, who gives us the ( CK ) victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 ( CL ) Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters , be firm, immovable, always excelling in ( CM ) the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel ( A ) I preached to you, ( B ) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, ( C ) if you hold firmly ( D ) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received ( E ) I passed on to you ( F ) as of first importance [ a ] : that Christ died for our sins ( G ) according to the Scriptures, ( H ) 4 that he was buried, ( I ) that he was raised ( J ) on the third day ( K ) according to the Scriptures, ( L ) 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, [ b ] ( M ) and then to the Twelve. ( N ) 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ( O ) 7 Then he appeared to James, ( P ) then to all the apostles, ( Q ) 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, ( R ) as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles ( S ) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted ( T ) the church of God. ( U ) 10 But by the grace ( V ) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me ( W ) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them ( X ) —yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. ( Y ) 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, ( Z ) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, ( AA ) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection ( AB ) of the dead? ( AC ) 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, ( AD ) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. ( AE ) But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ( AF ) 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep ( AG ) in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. ( AH )
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, ( AI ) the firstfruits ( AJ ) of those who have fallen asleep. ( AK ) 21 For since death came through a man, ( AL ) the resurrection of the dead ( AM ) comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ( AN ) 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; ( AO ) then, when he comes, ( AP ) those who belong to him. ( AQ ) 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom ( AR ) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ( AS ) 25 For he must reign ( AT ) until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ( AU ) 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ( AV ) 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” [ c ] ( AW ) Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. ( AX ) 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, ( AY ) so that God may be all in all. ( AZ )
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? ( BA ) 31 I face death every day ( BB ) —yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts ( BC ) in Ephesus ( BD ) with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
33 Do not be misled: ( BF ) “Bad company corrupts good character.” [ e ] ( BG ) 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God ( BH ) —I say this to your shame. ( BI )
35 But someone will ask, ( BJ ) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” ( BK ) 36 How foolish! ( BL ) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ( BM ) 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. ( BN ) 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, ( BO ) the moon another and the stars another; ( BP ) and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be ( BQ ) with the resurrection of the dead. ( BR ) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; ( BS ) 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; ( BT ) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. ( BU )
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being” [ f ] ; ( BV ) the last Adam, ( BW ) a life-giving spirit. ( BX ) 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. ( BY ) 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; ( BZ ) the second man is of heaven. ( CA ) 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. ( CB ) 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, ( CC ) so shall we [ g ] bear the image of the heavenly man. ( CD )
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood ( CE ) cannot inherit the kingdom of God, ( CF ) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ( CG ) 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: ( CH ) We will not all sleep, ( CI ) but we will all be changed ( CJ ) — 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, ( CK ) the dead ( CL ) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable ( CM ) must clothe itself with the imperishable, ( CN ) and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” [ h ] ( CO )
56 The sting of death is sin, ( CQ ) and the power of sin is the law. ( CR ) 57 But thanks be to God! ( CS ) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ( CT )
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, ( CU ) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. ( CV )
