⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(A) We will not all sleep,^(B) but we will all be changed^(C)—

¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(A) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(B) 15} According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,^(C) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(D) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(E) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(F) and with the trumpet call of God,^(G) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(H) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(I) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(J) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(K) forever.

²¹ who, by the power^(A) that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies^(B) so that they will be like his glorious body.^(C)

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,^(A) the firstfruits^(B) of those who have fallen asleep.^(C)

⁹ he^[a] made known to us the mystery^(A) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed^(B) in Christ,

The Nature of True Apostleship

4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants^(A) of Christ and as those entrusted^(B) with the mysteries^(C) God has revealed.

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.^(A)

⁷ No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery^(A) that has been hidden^(B) and that God destined for our glory before time began.

³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.