² instruction about cleansing rites,^[a](A) the laying on of hands,^(B) the resurrection of the dead,^(C) and eternal judgment.

¹³ If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised,^(A) 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.^(B) 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.^{(C) 18} Then those also who have fallen asleep^(D) in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.^(E)

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,^(F) the firstfruits^(G) of those who have fallen asleep.^{(H) 21} For since death came through a man,^(I) the resurrection of the dead^(J) comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.^{(K) 23} But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;^(L) then, when he comes,^(M) those who belong to him.^{(N) 24} Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom^(O) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.^{(P) 25} For he must reign^(Q) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.^{(R) 26} The last enemy to be destroyed is death.^{(S) 27} For he “has put everything under his feet.”^[a](T) 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.^{(U) 28} When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,^(V) so that God may be all in all.^(W)

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?^{(X) 31} I face death every day^(Y)—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If I fought wild beasts^(Z) in Ephesus^(AA) with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,

³³ Do not be misled:^(AC) “Bad company corrupts good character.”^{[c](AD) 34} Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God^(AE)—I say this to your shame.^(AF)

The Resurrection Body

³⁵ But someone will ask,^(AG) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”^{(AH) 36} How foolish!^(AI) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.^{(AJ) 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.^{(AK) 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,^(AL) the moon another and the stars another;^(AM) and star differs from star in splendor.

⁴² So will it be^(AN) with the resurrection of the dead.^(AO) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;^{(AP) 43} it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;^(AQ) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.^(AR)

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”^[d];^(AS) the last Adam,^(AT) a life-giving spirit.^{(AU) 46} The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.^{(AV) 47} The first man was of the dust of the earth;^(AW) the second man is of heaven.^{(AX) 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.^{(AY) 49} And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,^(AZ) so shall we^[e] bear the image of the heavenly man.^(BA)

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood^(BB) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,^(BC) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.^{(BD) 51} Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(BE) We will not all sleep,^(BF) but we will all be changed^(BG)— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(BH) the dead^(BI) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable^(BJ) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(BK) 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.”^[f](BL)

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin,^(BN) and the power of sin is the law.^{(BO) 57} But thanks be to God!^(BP) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.^(BQ)

³¹ For he has set a day when he will judge^(A) the world with justice^(B) by the man he has appointed.^(C) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”^(D)

³² When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,^(E) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”

⁶ They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed^(A) and laid their hands on them.^(B)

³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized^(A) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death^(B) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead^(C) through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.^(D)

⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.^(E)

²⁵ As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control^(A) and the judgment^(B) to come, Felix was afraid^(C) and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

⁶ Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees^(A) and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers,^(B) I am a Pharisee,^(C) descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”^(D)

² and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit^(A) when^[a] you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³ So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism^(B) was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”^{(C) 5} On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^{(D) 6} When Paul placed his hands on them,^(E) the Holy Spirit came on them,^(F) and they spoke in tongues^[b](G) and prophesied.

¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news^(A) about Jesus and the resurrection.^(B)