1 Corinthians 15
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Resurrection of Christ
15 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which you are saved, if you hold it fast—unless you believed in vain.
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, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren 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. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit 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 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 which is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised;[a] 14 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 of God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come 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 first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every 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 God[b] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection under him,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one.
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?[c] 30 Why am I in peril every hour? 31 I protest, brethren, by my pride in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 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.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Come to your right mind, and sin no more. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But some one will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body which 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 alike, but there is one kind for men, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are celestial bodies and there are terrestrial bodies; 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 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. 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 physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall[d] also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51 Lo! I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. 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.”
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 gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Footnotes
- 15.13 Again, the resurrection of the dead is linked with Christ’s resurrection; cf. Rom 8.11.
- 1 Corinthians 15:27 Greek he
- 15.29 Apparently a custom of vicarious baptism for those who had died without it. Paul mentions it without approving it.
- 1 Corinthians 15:49 Other ancient authorities read let us
1 Corinthians 15
New King James Version
The Risen Christ, Faith’s Reality(A)
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel (B)which I preached to you, which also you received and (C)in which you stand, 2 (D)by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless (E)you believed in vain.
3 For (F)I delivered to you first of all that (G)which I also received: that Christ died for our sins (H)according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day (I)according to the Scriptures, 5 (J)and that He was seen by [a]Cephas, then (K)by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have [b]fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then (L)by all the apostles. 8 (M)Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
9 For I am (N)the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because (O)I persecuted the church of God. 10 But (P)by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, (Q)yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Risen Christ, Our Hope(R)
12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, (S)then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because (T)we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; (U)you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have [c]fallen (V)asleep in Christ have perished. 19 (W)If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
The Last Enemy Destroyed
20 But now (X)Christ is risen from the dead, and has become (Y)the firstfruits of those who have [d]fallen asleep. 21 For (Z)since by man came death, (AA)by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall (AB)be made alive. 23 But (AC)each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers (AD)the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign (AE)till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 (AF)The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For (AG)“He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 (AH)Now when all things are made subject to Him, then (AI)the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Effects of Denying the Resurrection
29 Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? 30 And (AJ)why do we stand in [e]jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by (AK)the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, (AL)I die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, (AM)I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, (AN)“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
33 Do not be deceived: (AO)“Evil company corrupts good habits.” 34 (AP)Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; (AQ)for some do not have the knowledge of God. (AR)I speak this to your shame.
A Glorious Body
35 But someone will say, (AS)“How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” 36 Foolish one, (AT)what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind [f]of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.
40 There are also [g]celestial bodies and [h]terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.
42 (AU)So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 (AV)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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, (AW)“The first man Adam became a living being.” (AX)The last Adam became (AY)a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 (AZ)The first man was of the earth, (BA)made[i] of dust; the second Man is [j]the Lord (BB)from heaven. 48 As was the [k]man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; (BC)and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And (BD)as we have borne the image of the man of dust, (BE)we[l] shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
Our Final Victory
50 Now this I say, brethren, that (BF)flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a [m]mystery: (BG)We shall not all sleep, (BH)but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. (BI)For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and (BJ)this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: (BK)“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
56 The sting of death is sin, and (BM)the strength of sin is the law. 57 (BN)But thanks be to God, who gives us (BO)the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 (BP)Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing (BQ)that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 15:5 Peter
- 1 Corinthians 15:6 Died
- 1 Corinthians 15:18 Died
- 1 Corinthians 15:20 Died
- 1 Corinthians 15:30 danger
- 1 Corinthians 15:39 NU, M omit of flesh
- 1 Corinthians 15:40 heavenly
- 1 Corinthians 15:40 earthly
- 1 Corinthians 15:47 earthy
- 1 Corinthians 15:47 NU omits the Lord
- 1 Corinthians 15:48 earthy
- 1 Corinthians 15:49 M let us also bear
- 1 Corinthians 15:51 hidden truth
- 1 Corinthians 15:55 NU O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
