1 Corinthians 15:20-34
1599 Geneva Bible
20 [a]But now is Christ risen from the dead, [b]and was made the (A)[c]firstfruits of them that slept.
21 [d]For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be [e]made alive.
23 [f]But every man in his (B)own order: the firstfruits is Christ, afterward, they that are of Christ, at his coming shall rise again.
24 [g]Then shall be the [h]end, when he hath delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he hath put down [i]all rule, and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign (C)till he hath put all his enemies [j]under his feet.
26 The [k]last enemy that shall be destroyed, is death.
27 (D)For he hath put down all things under his feet. (And when he saith that all things are subdued to him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put down all things under him.)
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, [l]then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that did subdue all things under him, that [m]God may be all in all.
29 [n]Else what shall they do which are baptized [o]for dead? if the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for dead?
30 [p]Why are we also in jeopardy every hour?
31 By your [q]rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32 [r]If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus [s]after the manner of men, what advantageth it me, if the dead be not raised up? (E)[t]let us [u]eat and drink: for tomorrow we shall die.
33 [v]Be not deceived: evil speakings corrupt good manners.
34 Awake to live righteously, and sin not: for some have not the knowledge of God, I speak this to your shame.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 15:20 A conclusion of the former argument: Therefore Christ is risen again.
- 1 Corinthians 15:20 He putteth the last conclusion for the first proposition of the argument that followeth. Christ is risen again, Therefore shall we the faithful (for of them he speaketh) rise again: Then followeth the first reason of this consequent: for Christ is set forth unto us, to be considered of, not as a private man apart and by himself, but as the firstfruits: And he taketh that which was known, to all men, to wit, that the whole heap is sanctified in the firstfruits.
- 1 Corinthians 15:20 He alludeth to the firstfruits of corn, the offering whereof sanctified the rest of the fruits.
- 1 Corinthians 15:21 Another confirmation of the same consequent: for Christ is to be considered as opposite to Adam, that as from one man Adam, sin came over all, so from one man Christ, life cometh unto all: that is to say, that all the faithful, as they die, because by nature they were born of Adam, so because in Christ they are made the children of God by grace, they are quickened and restored to life by him.
- 1 Corinthians 15:22 Shall rise by the virtue of Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:23 He doeth two things together: for he showeth that the resurrection is in such sort common to Christ with all his members, that notwithstanding he far passeth them, both in time (for he was the first that rose again from the dead) and also in honor, because that from him and in him is all our life and glory. Then by this occasion he passeth in the next argument.
- 1 Corinthians 15:24 The fourth argument, wherewith also he confirmeth the others, hath a most sure ground, to wit, because that God must reign. And this is the manner of his reign, that the Father will be showed to be King in his Son who was made man, to whom all things are made subject (the promiser only except) to the end that the Father may afterward triumph in his Son the conqueror. And he maketh two parts of this reign and dominion of the Son, wherein the Father’s glory consisteth: to wit, the overcoming of his enemies (whereof some must be deprived of all power, as Satan and all the wicked, be they never so proud and mighty, and others must be utterly abolished as death) and a plain and full delivery of the godly from all enemies, that by this means God may fully set forth the body of the Church, cleaving fast to their head Christ, his kingdom and glory as a king in his subjects. Moreover he putteth the first degree of this kingdom in the resurrection of the Son, who is the head: and the perfection, in the full conjunction of the members with the head, which shall be in the latter day. Now all these tend to this purpose, to show that unless the dead do rise again, neither the Father can be King above all, neither Christ be Lord of all: for neither should the power of Satan and death be overcome, nor the glory of God be full in his Son, nor his Son in his members.
- 1 Corinthians 15:24 The shutting up and finishing of all things.
- 1 Corinthians 15:24 All his enemies which shall be spoiled of all the power they have.
- 1 Corinthians 15:25 Christ is considered here, as he appeared in the form of a servant, in which respect he ruleth the Church as head, and that because this power was given him of his Father.
- 1 Corinthians 15:26 The shutting up of the argument, which is taken from the whole to the part: for if all his enemies shall be put under his feet, then must it needs be that death also shall be subdued under him.
- 1 Corinthians 15:28 Not because the Son was not subject to his Father before, but because his body, that is to say, the Church which is here in distress, and not yet wholly partaker of his glory, is not yet fully perfect, and also because the bodies of the saints which be in the graves shall not be glorified until the resurrection: but Christ as he is God, hath us subject to him as his Father hath, but as he is Priest, he is subject to his father together with us. Augustine, book 1, chap. 8, of the Trinity.
- 1 Corinthians 15:28 By this high kind of speech, is set forth an incomprehensible glory which floweth from God, and shall fill all of us, as we are joined together with our head, but yet so, that our head shall always reserve his preeminence.
- 1 Corinthians 15:29 The fifth argument taken of the end of Baptism, to wit, because that they which are baptized, are baptized for dead, that is to say, that they may have a remedy against death because that Baptism is a token of regeneration.
- 1 Corinthians 15:29 They that are baptized, to this end and purpose, that death may be put out in them, or to rise again from the dead, whereof baptism is a seal.
- 1 Corinthians 15:30 The sixth argument: Unless there be a resurrection of the dead, why should the Apostles so daily cast themselves into danger of so many deaths?
- 1 Corinthians 15:31 As though he said, I die daily, as all the miseries I suffer can well witness, which I may truly boast of, that I have suffered amongst you.
- 1 Corinthians 15:32 The taking away of an objection: but thou Paul, didst ambitiously, as commonly men are wont to do, when thou didst fight with beasts at Ephesus: That is very like, saith Paul, for what could that advantage me, were it not for the glory of eternal life which I hope for?
- 1 Corinthians 15:32 Not upon any godly motion, nor casting mine eyes upon God, but carried away with vain glory, or a certain headiness.
- 1 Corinthians 15:32 The seventh argument which dependeth upon the last: if there be no resurrection of the dead, why do we give ourselves to anything else, save to eating and drinking?
- 1 Corinthians 15:32 These are speeches that Epicureans use.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33 The conclusion with a sharp exhortation, that they take heed of the naughty company of certain: from whence he showeth that this mischief sprang: warning them to be wise with sobriety unto righteousness.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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