The Resurrection of Christ

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.

The Resurrection of the Dead

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)

The Resurrection Body

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)

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(B) and the other Mary^(C) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(D) for an angel^(E) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(F) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(G) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(H) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(I) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(J) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(K) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(L) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(M) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(N) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(O) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.^{(P) 17} When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.^{(Q) 19} Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,^(R) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,^{(S) 20} and teaching^(T) them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you^(U) always, to the very end of the age.”^(V)

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices^(B) so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”^(C)

⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe^(D) sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,^(E) who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,^(F) just as he told you.’”^(G)

⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.^[a]

[The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]

⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,^(H) out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.^(I)

¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.^{(J) 13} These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.^(K)

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.^{(L) 16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.^{(M) 17} And these signs^(N) will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;^(O) they will speak in new tongues;^{(P) 18} they will pick up snakes^(Q) with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on^(R) sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven^(S) and he sat at the right hand of God.^{(T) 20} Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs^(U) that accompanied it.

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared^(B) and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.^{(C) 4} While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning^(D) stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:^{(E) 7} ‘The Son of Man^(F) must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”^{(G) 8} Then they remembered his words.^(H)

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them^(I) who told this to the apostles.^{(J) 11} But they did not believe^(K) the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,^(L) and he went away,^(M) wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem.^{(N) 14} They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;^{(O) 16} but they were kept from recognizing him.^(P)

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas,^(Q) asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,”^(R) they replied. “He was a prophet,^(S) powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers^(T) handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.^(U) And what is more, it is the third day^(V) since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us.^(W) They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”^(X)

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”^{(Y) 27} And beginning with Moses^(Z) and all the Prophets,^(AA) he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.^(AB)

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it^(AC) and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,^(AD) and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us^(AE) while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures^(AF) to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord^(AG) has risen and has appeared to Simon.”^{(AH) 35} Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.^(AI)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”^(AJ)

³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.^{(AK) 38} He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see;^(AL) a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.^(AM)

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you:^(AN) Everything must be fulfilled^(AO) that is written about me in the Law of Moses,^(AP) the Prophets^(AQ) and the Psalms.”^(AR)

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer^(AS) and rise from the dead on the third day,^{(AT) 47} and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name^(AU) to all nations,^(AV) beginning at Jerusalem.^{(AW) 48} You are witnesses^(AX) of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised;^(AY) but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

⁵⁰ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany,^(AZ) he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.^{(BA) 52} Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³ And they stayed continually at the temple,^(BB) praising God.