The Church’s Growth

³¹ So the church^(A) throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

The Healing of Aeneas

³² As Peter was traveling from place to place, he also came down to the saints^(B) who lived in Lydda.^{(C) 33} There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. ³⁴ Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed,”^[a] and immediately he got up.^{(D) 35} So all who lived in Lydda and Sharon^(E) saw him and turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Restored to Life

³⁶ In Joppa^(F) there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works^(G) and acts of charity. ³⁷ About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” ³⁹ Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.^{(H) 41} He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. ⁴² This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon,^(I) a leather tanner.

The Widow’s Son Raised

¹⁷ After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing.^{(A) 18} She said to Elijah, “Man of God,^(B) what do you have against me?^(C) Have you come to call attention to my iniquity^(D) so that my son is put to death?”

¹⁹ But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upstairs room^(E) where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰ Then he cried out to the Lord^(F) and said, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” ²¹ Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times.^(G) He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!”

²² So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived.^(H)

Effective Prayer

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.^{(A) 14} Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.^{(B) 15} The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.^{(C) 16} Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.^(D)

Resurrection Essential to the Faith

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,^(A) how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”?^{(B) 13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.^{[a] 15} Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses^(C) about God, because we have testified^(D) wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, 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; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ^(E) have also perished. ¹⁹ If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours

²⁰ But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits^(F) of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death^(G) came through a man,^(H) the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man.^{(I) 22} For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.^(J)

²³ But each in his own order:^(K) Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end,^(L) when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,^(M) when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power.^{(N) 25} For he must reign^(O) until he puts all his enemies under his feet.^{(P) 26} The last enemy to be abolished is death.^(Q)

Victorious Resurrection

⁵⁰ What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: Flesh^(A) and blood^(B) cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹ Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.^(C) For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible body must be clothed^(D) with incorruptibility,^(E) and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. ⁵⁴ When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place:

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin^(I) is the law.^{(J) 57} But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory^(K) through our Lord Jesus Christ!