1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Expanded Bible

What Kind of Body Will We Have?

³⁵ But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?” ³⁶ Foolish person! When you sow a seed, it must die in the ground before it can ·live and grow [come to life]. ³⁷ And when you sow it, it does not have the same “body” it will have later. [^LBut; On the contrary] What you sow is only a bare seed, maybe wheat or something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body that he ·has planned [wants; has chosen] for it, and God gives each kind of seed its own body. ³⁹ All things made of flesh are not the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds have another, and fish have another. ⁴⁰ Also there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the ·beauty [splendor; glory] of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the ·beauty [splendor; glory] of the earthly bodies is another. ⁴¹ The sun has one kind of ·beauty [splendor; glory], the moon has another ·beauty [splendor; glory], and the stars have another. And each star is different in its ·beauty [splendor; glory].

⁴² It is the same with the dead who are raised to life. ·The body that is “planted” will ruin and decay [^LIt is sown/buried in corruption], but it is raised ·to a life that cannot be destroyed [imperishable; ^Lin incorruption]. ⁴³ ·When the body is “planted,” it is without honor [^LIt is sown/buried in dishonor], but it is raised in glory. ·When the body is “planted,” it is weak [^LIt is sown/buried in weakness], but ·when it is raised, it is powerful [^Lit is raised in power]. ⁴⁴ ·The body that is “planted” is a physical body [^LIt is sown/buried a natural/physical/soulish body]. ·When it is raised, it is [^LIt is raised] a spiritual body.

There is a ·physical [natural; soulish] body, and there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ [^LSo also] It is written in the Scriptures: “The first man, Adam, became a living ·person [soul; Gen. 2:7].” But the last Adam [^CChrist] became a spirit that gives life. ⁴⁶ [^LBut] The spiritual did not come first, but the ·physical [natural; soulish] and then the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. ⁴⁸ People who ·belong to the earth [or are of dust] are like the first man of ·earth [dust]. But those people who belong to heaven are like the man of heaven. ⁴⁹ Just as we ·were made like [^Lhave borne the image of] the man of earth, so we will^[a] also ·be made like [bear the image of] the man of heaven.

⁵⁰ I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot ·have a part in [inherit] the kingdom of God. ·Something that will ruin cannot […nor can the perishable/corruptible] ·have a part in something that never ruins [inherit the imperishable/incorruptible]. ⁵¹ But look! I tell you ·this secret [a mystery; 2:1]: We will not all ·sleep in death [^Lsleep; ^Ca euphemism for death], but we will all be changed. ⁵² It will ·take only a second [happen in a flash]—as quickly as an eye ·blinks [or twinkles]—when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and those who have died will be raised ·to live forever [imperishable; incorruptible], and we will be changed [1 Thess. 4:13–17]. ⁵³ [^LFor] This body that ·can be destroyed [is perishable/corruptible] must clothe itself with ·something that can never be destroyed [the imperishable/incorruptible]. And this ·body that dies [^Lmortal] must clothe itself with ·something that can never die [immortality]. ⁵⁴ So when this body that ·can be destroyed [is perishable/corruptible] will clothe itself with that which ·can never be destroyed [is imperishable/incorruptible], and this ·body that dies [^Lmortal] will clothe itself with ·that which can never die [immortality], then this Scripture will ·be made true [come to pass]:

⁵⁶ Death’s ·power to hurt [^Lsting] is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ So my ·dear [beloved] brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always ·give yourselves fully to [excel in] the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is ·never wasted [not useless/in vain].