1 Corinthians 15-16

New American Standard Bible 1995

The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection

15 Now ^(A)I make known to you, brethren, the ^(B)gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, ^(C)in which also you stand, ² by which also you are saved, ^(D)if you hold fast ^[a]the word which I preached to you, ^(E)unless you believed in vain.

³ For ^(F)I delivered to you ^[b]as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died ^(G)for our sins ^(H)according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He was ^(I)raised on the third day ^(J)according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that ^(K)He appeared to ^(L)Cephas, then ^(M)to the twelve. ⁶ After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some ^(N)have fallen asleep; ⁷ then He appeared to ^[c](O)James, then to ^(P)all the apostles; ⁸ and last of all, as ^[d]to one untimely born, ^(Q)He appeared to me also. ⁹ For I am ^(R)the least of the apostles, ^[e]and not fit to be called an apostle, because I ^(S)persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by ^(T)the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I ^(U)labored even more than all of them, yet ^(V)not I, but the grace of God with me. ¹¹ Whether then it was 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 ^(W)is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and ^(X)if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. ¹⁵ Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified ^[f]against God that He ^(Y)raised ^[g]Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁷ and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; ^(Z)you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who ^(AA)have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are ^(AB)of all men most to be pitied.

The Order of Resurrection

²⁰ But now Christ ^(AC)has been raised from the dead, the ^(AD)first fruits of those who ^(AE)are asleep. ²¹ For since ^(AF)by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For ^(AG)as in Adam all die, so also in ^[h]Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ ^(AH)the first fruits, after that ^(AI)those who are Christ’s at ^(AJ)His coming, ²⁴ then comes the end, when He hands over ^(AK)the kingdom to the ^(AL)God and Father, when He has abolished ^(AM)all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For He must reign ^(AN)until He has put all His enemies under His feet. ²⁶ The last enemy that will be ^(AO)abolished is death. ²⁷ For ^(AP)He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “^(AQ)All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. ²⁸ When ^(AR)all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that ^(AS)God may be all in all.

²⁹ Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? ³⁰ Why are we also ^(AT)in danger every hour? ³¹ I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, ^(AU)I die daily. ³² If ^[i]from human motives I ^(AV)fought with wild beasts at ^(AW)Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, ^(AX)let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. ^33 (AY)Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ^34 (AZ)Become sober-minded ^[j]as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have ^(BA)no knowledge of God. ^(BB)I speak this to your shame.

³⁵ But ^(BC)someone will say, “How are ^(BD)the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” ^36 (BE)You fool! That which you ^(BF)sow does not come to life unless it dies; ³⁷ and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of ^[k]something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body just as He wished, and ^(BG)to each of the seeds a body of its own. ³⁹ All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. ⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

^42 (BH)So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown ^[l](BI)a perishable body, it is raised ^[m](BJ)an imperishable body; ⁴³ it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in ^(BK)glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a ^(BL)natural body, it is raised a ^(BM)spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So also it is written, “The first ^(BN)man, Adam, became a living soul.” The ^(BO)last Adam became a ^(BP)life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is ^(BQ)from the earth, ^[n](BR)earthy; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, ^(BS)so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹ Just as we have ^(BT)borne the image of the earthy, ^[o]we ^(BU)will also bear the image of the heavenly.

The Mystery of Resurrection

⁵⁰ Now I say this, brethren, that ^(BV)flesh and blood cannot ^(BW)inherit the kingdom of God; nor does ^[p]the perishable inherit ^[q](BX)the imperishable. ⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a ^(BY)mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be ^(BZ)changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for ^(CA)the trumpet will sound, and ^(CB)the dead will be raised ^[r]imperishable, and ^(CC)we will be changed. ⁵³ For this ^[s]perishable must put on ^[t](CD)the imperishable, and this ^(CE)mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this ^[u]perishable will have put on ^[v]the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “^(CF)Death is swallowed up in victory. ^55 (CG)O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of ^(CH)death is sin, and ^(CI)the power of sin is the law; ⁵⁷ but ^(CJ)thanks be to God, who gives us the ^(CK)victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

^58 (CL)Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in ^(CM)the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Instructions and Greetings

16 Now concerning ^(CN)the collection for ^(CO)the saints, as ^(CP)I directed the churches of ^(CQ)Galatia, so do you also. ² On ^(CR)the first day of every week each one of you is to ^[w]put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that ^(CS)no collections be made when I come. ³ When I arrive, ^(CT)whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; ⁴ and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.

⁵ But I ^(CU)will come to you after I go through ^(CV)Macedonia, for I ^(CW)am going through Macedonia; ⁶ and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may ^(CX)send me on my way wherever I may go. ⁷ For I do not wish to see you now ^(CY)just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, ^(CZ)if the Lord permits. ⁸ But I will remain in ^(DA)Ephesus until ^(DB)Pentecost; ⁹ for a ^(DC)wide door ^[x]for effective service has opened to me, and ^(DD)there are many adversaries.

¹⁰ Now if ^(DE)Timothy comes, see that he is with you without ^[y]cause to be afraid, for he is doing ^(DF)the Lord’s work, as I also am. ^11 (DG)So let no one despise him. But ^(DH)send him on his way ^(DI)in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

¹² But concerning ^(DJ)Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.

^13 (DK)Be on the alert, ^(DL)stand firm in the faith, ^(DM)act like men, ^(DN)be strong. ¹⁴ Let all that you do be done ^(DO)in love.

¹⁵ Now I urge you, brethren (you know the ^(DP)household of Stephanas, that ^[z]they were the ^(DQ)first fruits of ^(DR)Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ^(DS)ministry to ^(DT)the saints), ¹⁶ that ^(DU)you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. ¹⁷ I rejoice over the ^[aa](DV)coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have ^[ab]supplied ^(DW)what was lacking on your part. ¹⁸ For they ^(DX)have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore ^(DY)acknowledge such men.

¹⁹ The churches of ^(DZ)Asia greet you. ^(EA)Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with ^(EB)the church that is in their house. ²⁰ All the brethren greet you. ^(EC)Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹ The greeting is in ^(ED)my own hand—^[ac]Paul. ²² If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be ^[ad](EE)accursed. ^[ae](EF)Maranatha. ^23 (EG)The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴ My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.