20 But in fact (A)Christ has been raised from the dead, (B)the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as (C)by a man came death, (D)by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For (E)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 (F)at his coming (G)those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers (H)the kingdom to God the Father after destroying (I)every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign (J)until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be (K)destroyed is death. 27 For (L)“God[a] 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. 28 When (M)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 (N)God may be all in all.

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 (O)in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by (P)my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Q)I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, (R)I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, (S)“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 (T)Do not be deceived: (U)“Bad company ruins good morals.”[b] 34 (V)Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For (W)some have no knowledge of God. (X)I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will ask, (Y)“How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! (Z)What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 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 (AA)So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; (AB)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 Thus it is written, (AC)“The first man Adam became a living being”;[c] (AD)the last Adam became a (AE)life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 (AF)The first man was from the earth, (AG)a man of dust; (AH)the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, (AI)so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just (AJ)as we have borne the image of the man of dust, (AK)we shall[d] also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Greek he
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Probably from Menander's comedy Thais
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:45 Greek a living soul
  4. 1 Corinthians 15:49 Some manuscripts let us

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,(A) the firstfruits(B) of those who have fallen asleep.(C) 21 For since death came through a man,(D) the resurrection of the dead(E) comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.(F) 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;(G) then, when he comes,(H) those who belong to him.(I) 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom(J) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.(K) 25 For he must reign(L) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.(M) 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.(N) 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[a](O) 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.(P) 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,(Q) so that God may be all in all.(R)

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?(S) 31 I face death every day(T)—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts(U) in Ephesus(V) 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.”[b](W)

33 Do not be misled:(X) “Bad company corrupts good character.”[c](Y) 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God(Z)—I say this to your shame.(AA)

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will ask,(AB) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”(AC) 36 How foolish!(AD) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.(AE) 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.(AF) 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,(AG) the moon another and the stars another;(AH) and star differs from star in splendor.

42 So will it be(AI) with the resurrection of the dead.(AJ) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;(AK) 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;(AL) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.(AM)

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”[d];(AN) the last Adam,(AO) a life-giving spirit.(AP) 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.(AQ) 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth;(AR) the second man is of heaven.(AS) 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.(AT) 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,(AU) so shall we[e] bear the image of the heavenly man.(AV)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Isaiah 22:13
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:33 From the Greek poet Menander
  4. 1 Corinthians 15:45 Gen. 2:7
  5. 1 Corinthians 15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us