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?
1 Corinthians 15
Good News Translation
The Resurrection of Christ
15 And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm. 2 That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the gospel if you hold firmly to it—unless it was for nothing that you believed.
3 (A)I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; 4 (B)that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures; 5 (C)that he appeared to Peter and then to all twelve apostles. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, and afterward to all the apostles.
8 (D)Last of all he appeared also to me—even though I am like someone whose birth was abnormal.[a] 9 (E)For I am the least of all the apostles—I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. 10 But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me. 11 So then, whether it came from me or from them, this is what we all preach, and this is what you believe.
Our Resurrection
12 Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? 13 If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. 15 More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. 18 It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more,[b] then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world.
20 But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. 21 For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the rising from death comes by means of a man. 22 For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ. 23 But each one will be raised in proper order: Christ, first of all; then, at the time of his coming, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come; Christ will overcome all spiritual rulers, authorities, and powers, and will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father. 25 (F)For Christ must rule until God defeats all enemies and puts them under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be defeated will be death. 27 (G)For the scripture says, “God put all things under his feet.” It is clear, of course, that the words “all things” do not include God himself, who puts all things under Christ. 28 But when all things have been placed under Christ's rule, then he himself, the Son, will place himself under God, who placed all things under him; and God will rule completely over all.
29 (H)Now, what about those people who are baptized for the dead? What do they hope to accomplish? If it is true, as some claim, that the dead are not raised to life, why are those people being baptized for the dead? 30 And as for us—why would we run the risk of danger every hour? 31 My friends, I face death every day! The pride I have in you, in our life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord, makes me declare this. 32 (I)If I have, as it were, fought “wild beasts” here in Ephesus simply from human motives, what have I gained? But if the dead are not raised to life, then, as the saying goes, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.”
33 Do not be fooled. “Bad companions ruin good character.” 34 Come back to your right senses and stop your sinful ways. I declare to your shame that some of you do not know God.
The Resurrection Body
35 Someone will ask, “How can the dead be raised to life? What kind of body will they have?” 36 You fool! When you plant a seed in the ground, it does not sprout to life unless it dies. 37 And what you plant is a bare seed, perhaps a grain of wheat or some other grain, not the full-bodied plant that will later grow up. 38 God provides that seed with the body he wishes; he gives each seed its own proper body.
39 And the flesh of living beings is not all the same kind of flesh; human beings have one kind of flesh, animals another, birds another, and fish another.
40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; the beauty that belongs to heavenly bodies is different from the beauty that belongs to earthly bodies. 41 The sun has its own beauty, the moon another beauty, and the stars a different beauty; and even among stars there are different kinds of beauty.
42 This is how it will be when the dead are raised to life. When the body is buried, it is mortal; when raised, it will be immortal. 43 When buried, it is ugly and weak; when raised, it will be beautiful and strong. 44 When buried, it is a physical body; when raised, it will be a spiritual body. There is, of course, a physical body, so there has to be a spiritual body. 45 (J)For the scripture says, “The first man, Adam, was created a living being”; but the last Adam is the life-giving Spirit. 46 It is not the spiritual that comes first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47 The first Adam, made of earth, came from the earth; the second Adam came from heaven. 48 Those who belong to the earth are like the one who was made of earth; those who are of heaven are like the one who came from heaven. 49 Just as we wear the likeness of the man made of earth, so we will wear[c] the likeness of the Man from heaven.
50 What I mean, friends, is that what is made of flesh and blood cannot share in God's Kingdom, and what is mortal cannot possess immortality.
51-52 (K)Listen to this secret truth: we shall not all die, but when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. 53 For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die. 54 (L)So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: “Death is destroyed; victory is complete!”
55 (M)“Where, Death, is your victory?
Where, Death, is your power to hurt?”
56 Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. 57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
58 So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 15:8 whose birth was abnormal; or who was born at the wrong time.
- 1 Corinthians 15:19 If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more; or If all we have in this life is our hope in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:49 we will wear; some manuscripts have let us wear.
1 Corinthians 15
Darby Translation
15 But I make known to you, brethren, the glad tidings which I announced to you, which also ye received, in which also ye stand,
2 by which also ye are saved, (if ye hold fast the word which I announced to you as the glad tidings,) unless indeed ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you, in the first place, what also I had received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures;
4 and that he was buried; and that he was raised the third day, according to the scriptures;
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 Then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the most remain until now, but some also have fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles;
8 and last of all, as to an abortion, he appeared to *me* also.
9 For *I* am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called apostle, because I have persecuted the assembly of God.
10 But by God's grace I am what I am; and his grace, which [was] towards me, has not been vain; but I have laboured more abundantly than they all, but not *I*, but the grace of God which [was] with me.
11 Whether, therefore, I or they, thus we preach, and thus ye have believed.
12 Now if Christ is preached that he is raised from among [the] dead, how say some among you that there is not a resurrection of [those that are] dead?
13 But if there is not a resurrection of [those that are] dead, neither is Christ raised:
14 but if Christ is not raised, then, indeed, vain also [is] our preaching, and vain also your faith.
15 And we are found also false witnesses of God; for we have witnessed concerning God that he raised the Christ, whom he has not raised if indeed [those that are] dead are not raised.
16 For if [those that are] dead are not raised, neither is Christ raised;
17 but if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then indeed also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are [the] most miserable of all men.
20 (But now Christ is raised from among [the] dead, first-fruits of those fallen asleep.
21 For since by man [came] death, by man also resurrection of [those that are] dead.
22 For as in the Adam all die, thus also in the Christ all shall be made alive.
23 But each in his own rank: [the] first-fruits, Christ; then those that are the Christ's at his coming.
24 Then the end, when he gives up the kingdom to him [who is] God and Father; when he shall have annulled all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he put all enemies under his feet.
26 [The] last enemy [that] is annulled [is] death.
27 For he has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he says that all things are put in subjection, [it is] evident that [it is] except him who put all things in subjection to him.
28 But when all things shall have been brought into subjection to him, then the Son also himself shall be placed in subjection to him who put all things in subjection to him, that God may be all in all.)
29 Since what shall the baptised for the dead do if [those that are] dead rise not at all? why also are they baptised for them?
30 Why do *we* also endanger ourselves every hour?
31 Daily I die, by your boasting which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.
32 If, [to speak] after the manner of man, I have fought with beasts in Ephesus, what is the profit to me if [those that are] dead do not rise? let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die.
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34 Awake up righteously, and sin not; for some are ignorant of God: I speak to you as a matter of shame.
35 But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what body do they come?
36 Fool; what *thou* sowest is not quickened unless it die.
37 And what thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain: it may be of wheat, or some one of the rest:
38 and God gives to it a body as he has pleased, and to each of the seeds its own body.
39 Every flesh [is] not the same flesh, but one [is] of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another [flesh] of birds, and another of fishes.
40 And [there are] heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies: but different is the glory of the heavenly, different that of the earthly:
41 one [the] sun's glory, and another [the] moon's glory, and another [the] stars' glory; for star differs from star in glory.
42 Thus also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruptibility.
43 It is sown in dishonour, 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 [one].
45 Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit.
46 But that which is spiritual [was] not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual:
47 the first man out of [the] earth, made of dust; the second man, out of heaven.
48 Such as he made of dust, such also those made of dust; and such as the heavenly [one], such also the heavenly [ones].
49 And as we have borne the image of the [one] made of dust, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly [one].
50 But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruptibility.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 in an instant, in [the] twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and *we* shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must needs put on incorruptibility, and this mortal put on immortality.
54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the word written: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
55 Where, O death, [is] thy sting? where, O death, thy victory?
56 Now the sting of death [is] sin, and the power of sin the law;
57 but thanks to God, who gives us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 So then, my beloved brethren, be firm, immovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in [the] Lord.
1 Corinthians 15
World English Bible
15 Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Whether then it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.
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, neither has Christ been raised. 14 If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith also is in vain. 15 Yes, we are also found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. 18 Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruit of those who are asleep. 21 For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father, when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.”(A) But when he says, “All things are put in subjection”, it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him. 28 When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.
29 Or else what will they do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead aren’t raised at all, why then are they baptized for the dead? 30 Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”(B) 33 Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” 34 Wake up righteously and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised?” and, “With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 That which you sow, you don’t sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind. 38 But God gives it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial. 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 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised 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 natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body.
45 So also it is written, “The first man Adam became a living soul.” (C) The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’s[a] also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now I say this, brothers,[b] that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable.
51 Behold,[c] I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will 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 incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”(D)
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 brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Footnotes
- 15:49 NU, TR read “we will” instead of “let’s”
- 15:50 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
- 15:51 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
- 15:55 or, Hell
1 Corinthians 15
New International Version
The Resurrection of Christ
15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel(A) I preached to you,(B) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved,(C) if you hold firmly(D) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received(E) I passed on to you(F) as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins(G) according to the Scriptures,(H) 4 that he was buried,(I) that he was raised(J) on the third day(K) according to the Scriptures,(L) 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b](M) and then to the Twelve.(N) 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.(O) 7 Then he appeared to James,(P) then to all the apostles,(Q) 8 and last of all he appeared to me also,(R) as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles(S) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted(T) the church of God.(U) 10 But by the grace(V) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me(W) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them(X)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.(Y) 11 Whether, then, it is I or they,(Z) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,(AA) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection(AB) of the dead?(AC) 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised,(AD) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.(AE) But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.(AF) 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep(AG) in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.(AH)
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,(AI) the firstfruits(AJ) of those who have fallen asleep.(AK) 21 For since death came through a man,(AL) the resurrection of the dead(AM) comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.(AN) 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;(AO) then, when he comes,(AP) those who belong to him.(AQ) 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom(AR) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.(AS) 25 For he must reign(AT) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.(AU) 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.(AV) 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c](AW) 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.(AX) 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,(AY) so that God may be all in all.(AZ)
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?(BA) 31 I face death every day(BB)—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts(BC) in Ephesus(BD) with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
33 Do not be misled:(BF) “Bad company corrupts good character.”[e](BG) 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God(BH)—I say this to your shame.(BI)
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will ask,(BJ) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”(BK) 36 How foolish!(BL) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.(BM) 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.(BN) 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,(BO) the moon another and the stars another;(BP) and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be(BQ) with the resurrection of the dead.(BR) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;(BS) 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;(BT) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.(BU)
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”[f];(BV) the last Adam,(BW) a life-giving spirit.(BX) 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.(BY) 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth;(BZ) the second man is of heaven.(CA) 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.(CB) 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,(CC) so shall we[g] bear the image of the heavenly man.(CD)
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood(CE) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,(CF) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.(CG) 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery:(CH) We will not all sleep,(CI) but we will all be changed(CJ)— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,(CK) the dead(CL) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable(CM) must clothe itself with the imperishable,(CN) and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h](CO)
56 The sting of death is sin,(CQ) and the power of sin is the law.(CR) 57 But thanks be to God!(CS) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.(CT)
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,(CU) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.(CV)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
- 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter
- 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6
- 1 Corinthians 15:32 Isaiah 22:13
- 1 Corinthians 15:33 From the Greek poet Menander
- 1 Corinthians 15:45 Gen. 2:7
- 1 Corinthians 15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us
- 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
- 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.


