1 Corinthians 15

English Standard Version

1 Now I would remind you, brothers,[1] of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, (Ro 5:2; 1Co 3:6; 2Co 1:24; 2Ti 2:8; 1Pe 5:12)2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. (1Co 1:18; 1Co 11:2; Ga 3:4; Heb 3:6; Heb 3:14)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, (Da 9:26; Zec 13:7; Joh 1:29; 1Co 11:23; Ga 1:4; Ga 1:12; Heb 5:1; Heb 5:3; 1Pe 1:11; 1Pe 2:24)4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (Ps 16:10; Isa 53:10; Ho 6:2; Mt 12:40; Joh 2:22; Ac 2:25; Ac 13:33; Ac 26:22)5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (Mr 16:14; Lu 24:34; Lu 24:36; Joh 20:19; Joh 20:26; Ac 10:41)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. (Lu 24:50; Ac 1:3; Ac 12:17)8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1Co 9:1)9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (Ac 8:3; 2Co 12:11; Eph 3:7; 1Ti 1:13)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. (Mt 10:20; 1Co 3:6; 2Co 3:5; 2Co 11:23; 2Co 12:11; Php 2:13; Col 1:29)11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.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? (Ac 23:8; 2Ti 2:18)13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. (1Th 4:14)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. (Ac 2:24)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. (Ro 4:25)18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (1Th 4:16; Re 14:13)19 If in Christ we have hope[2] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1Co 4:9; 2Ti 3:12)20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (Ac 26:23; 1Co 15:23; 2Ti 2:8; 1Pe 1:3)21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. (Joh 11:25; Ro 5:12; Ro 6:23)22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (Ro 5:14)23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (Lu 14:14; 1Co 15:52; 1Th 2:19; 1Th 4:16)24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. (Da 7:14; Da 7:27; Eph 1:21)25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (Ps 110:1)26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (2Ti 1:10; Re 20:14; Re 21:4)27 For “God[3] 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. (Ps 8:6; Mt 11:27; Mt 28:18; Eph 1:22)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. (1Co 3:23; 1Co 11:3; Php 3:21)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? (2Co 11:26)31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! (Lu 9:23; Ro 8:36; 1Th 2:19)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.” (Isa 22:13; Isa 56:12; Lu 12:19; 2Co 1:8)33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”[4] (1Co 5:6; Jas 1:16)34 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. (Ro 13:11; 1Co 4:14; 1Co 6:5; 1Th 4:5)35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” (Eze 37:3)36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. (Joh 12:24)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. (Da 12:3; Mt 13:43)43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. (Php 3:21; Col 3:4)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”;[5] the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (Ge 2:7; Joh 5:21; Joh 6:33; Joh 6:39; Joh 6:54; Joh 6:57; Ro 5:14; Ro 8:2; Ro 8:10)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. (Ge 2:7; Ge 3:19; Joh 3:13; Joh 3:31)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. (Php 3:20)49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall[6] also bear the image of the man of heaven. (Ge 5:3; Ro 8:29)50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (Mt 16:17; Joh 3:3; Joh 3:5)51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (Php 3:21; 1Th 4:15; 1Th 4:17)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. (Isa 27:13; Zec 9:14; Mt 24:31; Lu 20:36; Joh 5:25; Joh 5:28; 1Th 4:16)53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. (2Co 5:2)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.” (Isa 25:8; Heb 2:14; Re 20:14; Re 21:4)55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (Ho 13:14)56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (Ro 4:15; Ro 5:13; Ro 7:5; Ro 7:8; Ro 7:13)57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ro 8:37; 1Jo 5:4)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. (Jer 48:10; Joh 6:28; 1Co 3:8; 1Co 16:10; Ga 6:9; 2Pe 3:14)

1 Corinthians 15

New International Version

1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[1]: 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,[2] and then to the Twelve.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.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve 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 was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.11 Whether, then, it is I or they, 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, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.14 And if Christ has not been raised, 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. 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.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, 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 he ‘has put everything under his feet’. 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. (Ps 8:6)28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptised for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptised for them?30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?31 I face death every day – yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord.32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’ (Isa 22:13)33 Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’[3]34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God – I say this to your shame.35 But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.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.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 splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another.41 The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;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. 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’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. (Ge 2:7)46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven.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.49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we[4] bear the image of the heavenly man.50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed –52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, 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.’ (Isa 25:8)55 ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ (Ho 13:14)56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.