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)

The Collection for the Lord’s People

16 Now about the collection^(CW) for the Lord’s people:^(CX) Do what I told the Galatian^(CY) churches to do. ² On the first day of every week,^(CZ) each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.^{(DA) 3} Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve^(DB) and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

Personal Requests

⁵ After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you^(DC)—for I will be going through Macedonia.^{(DD) 6} Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey,^(DE) wherever I go. ⁷ For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.^{(DF) 8} But I will stay on at Ephesus^(DG) until Pentecost,^{(DH) 9} because a great door for effective work has opened to me,^(DI) and there are many who oppose me.

¹⁰ When Timothy^(DJ) comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord,^(DK) just as I am. ¹¹ No one, then, should treat him with contempt.^(DL) Send him on his way^(DM) in peace^(DN) so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

¹² Now about our brother Apollos:^(DO) I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

¹³ Be on your guard; stand firm^(DP) in the faith; be courageous; be strong.^{(DQ) 14} Do everything in love.^(DR)

¹⁵ You know that the household of Stephanas^(DS) were the first converts^(DT) in Achaia,^(DU) and they have devoted themselves to the service^(DV) of the Lord’s people.^(DW) I urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹⁶ to submit^(DX) to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. ¹⁷ I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.^{(DY) 18} For they refreshed^(DZ) my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.^(EA)

Final Greetings

¹⁹ The churches in the province of Asia^(EB) send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla^[j](EC) greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.^{(ED) 20} All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.^(EE)

²¹ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.^(EF)

²² If anyone does not love the Lord,^(EG) let that person be cursed!^(EH) Come, Lord^[k]!^(EI)

²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.^(EJ)

²⁴ My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.^[l]

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) and Timothy^(C) our brother,

To the church of God^(D) in Corinth,^(E) together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:^(F)

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(G)

Praise to the God of All Comfort

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(H) the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us^(I) in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,^(J) so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;^(K) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,^(L) so also you share in our comfort.

⁸ We do not want you to be uninformed,^(M) brothers and sisters,^[a] about the troubles we experienced^(N) in the province of Asia.^(O) We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,^(P) who raises the dead.^{(Q) 10} He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,^(R) and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope^(S) that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹ as you help us by your prayers.^(T) Then many will give thanks^(U) on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Paul’s Change of Plans

¹² Now this is our boast: Our conscience^(V) testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity^[b](W) and godly sincerity.^(X) We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom^(Y) but on God’s grace. ¹³ For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, ¹⁴ as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.^(Z)

¹⁵ Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you^(AA) first so that you might benefit twice.^{(AB) 16} I wanted to visit you on my way^(AC) to Macedonia^(AD) and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way^(AE) to Judea.^{(AF) 17} Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner^(AG) so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

¹⁸ But as surely as God is faithful,^(AH) our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God,^(AI) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas^[c](AJ) and Timothy^(AK)—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always^(AL) been “Yes.” ²⁰ For no matter how many promises^(AM) God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen”^(AN) is spoken by us to the glory of God.^{(AO) 21} Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm^(AP) in Christ. He anointed^(AQ) us, ²² set his seal^(AR) of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.^(AS)

²³ I call God as my witness^(AT)—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you^(AU) that I did not return to Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we lord it over^(AV) your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.^(AW) 2 ¹ So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.^{(AX) 2} For if I grieve you,^(AY) who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? ³ I wrote as I did,^(AZ) so that when I came I would not be distressed^(BA) by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence^(BB) in all of you, that you would all share my joy. ⁴ For I wrote you^(BC) out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

Forgiveness for the Offender

⁵ If anyone has caused grief,^(BD) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. ⁶ The punishment^(BE) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. ⁷ Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,^(BF) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸ I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹ Another reason I wrote you^(BG) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.^{(BH) 10} Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, ¹¹ in order that Satan^(BI) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.^(BJ)

Ministers of the New Covenant

¹² Now when I went to Troas^(BK) to preach the gospel of Christ^(BL) and found that the Lord had opened a door^(BM) for me, ¹³ I still had no peace of mind,^(BN) because I did not find my brother Titus^(BO) there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.^(BP)

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(BQ) who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma^(BR) of the knowledge^(BS) of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma^(BT) of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.^{(BU) 16} To the one we are an aroma that brings death;^(BV) to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?^{(BW) 17} Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.^(BX) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,^(BY) as those sent from God.^(BZ)

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves^(CA) again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation^(CB) to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.^{(CC) 3} You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,^(CD) not on tablets of stone^(CE) but on tablets of human hearts.^(CF)

⁴ Such confidence^(CG) we have through Christ before God. ⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves^(CH) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.^{(CI) 6} He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant^(CJ)—not of the letter^(CK) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.^(CL)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death,^(CM) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,^(CN) transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation^(CO) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!^{(CP) 10} For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope,^(CQ) we are very bold.^{(CR) 13} We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face^(CS) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull,^(CT) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant^(CU) is read.^(CV) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,^(CW) the veil is taken away.^{(CX) 17} Now the Lord is the Spirit,^(CY) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.^{(CZ) 18} And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate^[d](DA) the Lord’s glory,^(DB) are being transformed into his image^(DC) with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.