The Suffering Servant

53 (A)Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He grew up before Him like a (B)tender [a]shoot,
And like a root out of dry ground;
He has (C)no stately form or majesty
That we would look at Him,
Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him.
He was (D)despised and abandoned by men,
A man of [b]great pain and (E)familiar with sickness;
And like one from whom people hide their faces,
He was (F)despised, and we had no (G)regard for Him.

However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself (H)bore,
And our pains that He carried;
Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted,
Struck down by (I)God, and humiliated.
But He was [c]pierced for (J)our offenses,
He was crushed for (K)our wrongdoings;
The (L)punishment for our [d]well-being was laid upon Him,
And by (M)His wounds we are healed.
All of us, like sheep, have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all
To [e]fall on Him.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
Yet He did not (N)open His mouth;
(O)Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off from the land of the [f]living
(P)For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due?
And His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a (Q)rich man in His death,
(R)Because He had (S)done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10 But the Lord desired
To (T)crush Him, [g](U)causing Him grief;
If He renders [h]Himself as a guilt (V)offering,
He will see (W)His [i]offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the [j]good (X)pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the [k]anguish of His soul,
He will [l](Y)see it and be satisfied;
By His (Z)knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
For He will (AA)bear their wrongdoings.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a (AB)portion with the great,
And He will divide the plunder with the strong,
Because He poured out His [m](AC)life unto death,
And was (AD)counted with wrongdoers;
Yet He Himself (AE)bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the wrongdoers.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 53:2 Lit suckling
  2. Isaiah 53:3 Lit pains
  3. Isaiah 53:5 Or wounded
  4. Isaiah 53:5 Or peace
  5. Isaiah 53:6 Lit encounter Him
  6. Isaiah 53:8 Or life
  7. Isaiah 53:10 Lit He made Him sick
  8. Isaiah 53:10 Lit His soul
  9. Isaiah 53:10 Lit seed
  10. Isaiah 53:10 Or will of
  11. Isaiah 53:11 Or trouble
  12. Isaiah 53:11 DSS see light; LXX also has light
  13. Isaiah 53:12 Lit soul

The Sin-Bearing Messiah

53 Who (A)has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no [a]form or [b]comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no [c]beauty that we should desire Him.
(B)He is despised and [d]rejected by men,
A Man of [e]sorrows and (C)acquainted with [f]grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and (D)we did not esteem Him.

Surely (E)He has borne our [g]griefs
And carried our [h]sorrows;
Yet we [i]esteemed Him stricken,
[j]Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was (F)wounded[k] for our transgressions,
He was [l]bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His (G)stripes[m] we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord [n]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet (H)He opened not His mouth;
(I)He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
He was (J)taken from [o]prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For (K)He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
(L)And [p]they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any (M)deceit in His mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to [q]bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul (N)an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
11 [r]He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge (O)My righteous (P)Servant shall (Q)justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 (R)Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
(S)And He shall divide the [s]spoil with the strong,
Because He (T)poured out His soul unto death,
And He was (U)numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And (V)made intercession for the transgressors.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 53:2 Stately form
  2. Isaiah 53:2 splendor
  3. Isaiah 53:2 Lit. appearance
  4. Isaiah 53:3 Or forsaken
  5. Isaiah 53:3 Lit. pains
  6. Isaiah 53:3 Lit. sickness
  7. Isaiah 53:4 Lit. sicknesses
  8. Isaiah 53:4 Lit. pains
  9. Isaiah 53:4 reckoned
  10. Isaiah 53:4 Struck down
  11. Isaiah 53:5 Or pierced through
  12. Isaiah 53:5 crushed
  13. Isaiah 53:5 Blows that cut in
  14. Isaiah 53:6 Lit. has caused to land on Him
  15. Isaiah 53:8 confinement
  16. Isaiah 53:9 Lit. he or He
  17. Isaiah 53:10 crush
  18. Isaiah 53:11 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; DSS, LXX From the labor of His soul He shall see light
  19. Isaiah 53:12 plunder

The Fertility of Zion

54 (A)Shout for joy, infertile one, you who have not given birth to any child;
Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor;
For the sons of the (B)desolate one will be (C)more numerous
Than the sons of the married woman,” says the Lord.
(D)Enlarge the place of your tent;
[a]Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not spare them;
Lengthen your (E)ropes
And strengthen your (F)pegs.
For you will (G)spread out to the right and to the left.
And your [b]descendants will (H)possess nations
And will (I)resettle the desolate cities.

“Fear not, for you will (J)not be put to shame;
And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced;
But you will forget the (K)shame of your youth,
And no longer remember the (L)disgrace of your widowhood.
For your (M)husband is your Maker,
Whose name is the Lord of armies;
And your (N)Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
Who is called the (O)God of all the earth.
For the Lord has called you,
Like a wife (P)forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,”
Says your God.
[c]For a (Q)brief moment I abandoned you,
But with great compassion I will (R)gather you.
In an [d](S)outburst of anger
I hid My face from you for a moment,
But with everlasting (T)favor I will (U)have compassion on you,”
Says the Lord your (V)Redeemer.

“For [e]this is like the days of Noah to Me,
When I swore that the waters of Noah
Would (W)not [f]flood the earth again;
So I have sworn that I will (X)not be angry with you
Nor rebuke you.
10 For the (Y)mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My [g]favor will not be removed from you,
Nor will My (Z)covenant of peace be shaken,”
Says (AA)the Lord who has compassion on you.

11 (AB)Afflicted one, storm-tossed, and (AC)not comforted,
Behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
And I will (AD)lay your foundations with [h](AE)sapphires.
12 Moreover, I will make your battlements of [i]rubies,
And your gates of [j]crystal,
And your entire [k]wall of precious stones.
13 (AF)All your sons will be [l]taught by the Lord;
And the well-being of your sons will be (AG)great.
14 In (AH)righteousness you will be established;
You will be far from (AI)oppression, for you will (AJ)not fear;
And from (AK)terror, for it will not come near you.
15 If anyone fiercely attacks you, it will not be from Me.
(AL)Whoever attacks you will fall because of you.
16 Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals
And produces a weapon for its work;
And I have created the destroyer to inflict ruin.
17 (AM)No weapon that is formed against you will succeed;
And you will condemn (AN)every tongue that [m]accuses you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their (AO)vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 54:2 Lit Let them stretch out
  2. Isaiah 54:3 Lit seed
  3. Isaiah 54:7 Lit In
  4. Isaiah 54:8 Lit overflowing
  5. Isaiah 54:9 Some mss the waters of Noah this is to Me
  6. Isaiah 54:9 Lit cross over
  7. Isaiah 54:10 Or faithfulness
  8. Isaiah 54:11 Or lapis lazuli
  9. Isaiah 54:12 I.e., bright red
  10. Isaiah 54:12 Or carbuncles
  11. Isaiah 54:12 Lit border, boundary
  12. Isaiah 54:13 Or disciples of
  13. Isaiah 54:17 Lit rises against

A Perpetual Covenant of Peace

54 “Sing, O (A)barren,
You who have not borne!
Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
You who have not labored with child!
For more are the children of the desolate
Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
“Enlarge(B) the place of your tent,
And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;
Do not spare;
Lengthen your cords,
And strengthen your stakes.
For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
And your descendants will (C)inherit the nations,
And make the desolate cities inhabited.

“Do(D) not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
(E)For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called (F)the God of the whole earth.
For the Lord (G)has called you
Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Like a youthful wife when you were refused,”
Says your God.
“For(H) a mere moment I have forsaken you,
But with great mercies (I)I will gather you.
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
(J)But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,”
Says the Lord, your Redeemer.

“For this is like the waters of (K)Noah to Me;
For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with (L)you, nor rebuke you.
10 For (M)the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
(N)But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

11 “O you afflicted one,
Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, I will lay your stones with (O)colorful gems,
And lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
Your gates of crystal,
And all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be (P)taught by the Lord,
And (Q)great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
Whoever assembles against you shall (R)fall for your sake.

16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith
Who blows the coals in the fire,
Who brings forth an [a]instrument for his work;
And I have created the [b]spoiler to destroy.
17 No weapon formed against you shall (S)prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
(T)And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 54:16 Or weapon
  2. Isaiah 54:16 destroyer

The Free Offer of Mercy

55 [a]You there! Everyone who (A)thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have (B)no [b]money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy (C)wine and milk
(D)Without money and without cost.
Why do you [c]spend money for what is (E)not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and (F)eat what is good,
And (G)delight yourself in abundance.
(H)Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that [d]you may (I)live;
And I will make (J)an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the (K)faithful mercies [e]shown to David.
Behold, I have made (L)him a witness to the peoples,
A (M)leader and commander for the peoples.
Behold, you will call a (N)nation you do not know,
And a nation which does not know you will (O)run to you,
Because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel;
For He has (P)glorified you.”

(Q)Seek the Lord while He may be found;
(R)Call upon Him while He is near.
(S)Let the wicked abandon his way,
And the unrighteous person his (T)thoughts;
And let him (U)return to the Lord,
And He will have (V)compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will (W)abundantly pardon.
“For My thoughts are not (X)your thoughts,
Nor are (Y)your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For (Z)as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the (AA)rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it produce and sprout,
And providing (AB)seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My (AC)word be which goes out of My mouth;
It will (AD)not return to Me empty,
Without (AE)accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.
12 For you will go out with (AF)joy
And be led in (AG)peace;
The (AH)mountains and the hills will break into shouts of joy before you,
And all the (AI)trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the (AJ)thorn bush, the (AK)juniper will come up,
And instead of the (AL)stinging nettle, the myrtle will come up;
And [f]it will be a [g](AM)memorial to the Lord,
An everlasting (AN)sign which (AO)will not be eliminated.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 55:1 Lit Hoy
  2. Isaiah 55:1 Lit silver
  3. Isaiah 55:2 Lit weigh out silver
  4. Isaiah 55:3 Lit your soul
  5. Isaiah 55:3 Lit of David
  6. Isaiah 55:13 I.e., the transformation of the desert
  7. Isaiah 55:13 Lit name

An Invitation to Abundant Life

55 “Ho! (A)Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
(B)Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
Why do you [a]spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and (C)come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
(D)And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The (E)sure mercies of David.
Indeed I have given him as (F)a witness to the people,
(G)A leader and commander for the people.
(H)Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
(I)And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the Lord your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;
(J)For He has glorified you.”

(K)Seek the Lord while He may be (L)found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
(M)Let the [b]wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man (N)his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
(O)And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

“For(P) My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For(Q) as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For (R)as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 (S)So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me [c]void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall (T)prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For(U) you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall (V)break forth into singing before you,
And (W)all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 (X)Instead of (Y)the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord (Z)for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 55:2 Lit. weigh out silver
  2. Isaiah 55:7 Lit. man of iniquity
  3. Isaiah 55:11 empty, without fruit

The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection

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

For (F)I handed down to you [b]as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died (G)for our sins (H)according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was (I)raised on the third day (J)according to the Scriptures, and that (K)He appeared to [c](L)Cephas, then (M)to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some (N)have fallen asleep; then He appeared to [d](O)James, then to (P)all the apostles; and last of all, as [e]to one untimely born, (Q)He appeared to me also. For I am (R)the least of the apostles, [f]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, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 and (X)if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain. 15 Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified [g]against God that He (Y)raised [h]Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then 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 also those who (AA)have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are (AB)of all people most to be pitied.

The Order of Resurrection

20 But the fact is, 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 death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For (AG)as in Adam all die, so also in [i]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 our (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 clear that [j]this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When (AR)all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that (AS)God may be all in all.

29 For otherwise, what will those do who are baptized [k]for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized [l]for them? 30 Why are we also (AT)in danger every hour? 31 I affirm, brothers and sisters, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that (AU)I die daily. 32 If [m]from human motives I (AV)fought with wild beasts at (AW)Ephesus, what good is it to me? If the dead are not raised, (AX)lets eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 (AY)Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 (AZ)Sober up [n]morally and stop sinning, for some have (BA)no knowledge of God. (BB)I say 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 [o]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 mankind, another flesh of animals, 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, 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 [p](BI)a perishable body, it is raised [q](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 [r]person.” The (BO)last Adam was 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, [s](BR)earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy one, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly one, (BS)so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have (BT)borne the image of the earthy, [t]we (BU)will also bear the image of the heavenly.

The Mystery of Resurrection

50 Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that (BV)flesh and blood cannot (BW)inherit the kingdom of God; nor does [u]the perishable inherit [v](BX)the imperishable. 51 Behold, I am telling you a [w](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 [x]imperishable, and (CC)we will be changed. 53 For this [y]perishable must put on [z](CD)the imperishable, and this (CE)mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this [aa]perishable puts on [ab]the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “(CF)Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55 (CG)Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, 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 brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in (CM)the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:2 Lit to what word I
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Lit among the first
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:5 Peter’s Aramaic name
  4. 1 Corinthians 15:7 Or Jacob
  5. 1 Corinthians 15:8 Lit to an untimely birth
  6. 1 Corinthians 15:9 Lit who am
  7. 1 Corinthians 15:15 Or concerning
  8. 1 Corinthians 15:15 I.e., the Messiah
  9. 1 Corinthians 15:22 I.e., the Messiah
  10. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Lit except the
  11. 1 Corinthians 15:29 Or in behalf of
  12. 1 Corinthians 15:29 Or in behalf of
  13. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Lit according to man
  14. 1 Corinthians 15:34 Lit righteously
  15. 1 Corinthians 15:37 Lit some of the rest
  16. 1 Corinthians 15:42 Lit in corruption
  17. 1 Corinthians 15:42 Lit in incorruption
  18. 1 Corinthians 15:45 Or soul
  19. 1 Corinthians 15:47 Or made of dust, and so throughout the ch
  20. 1 Corinthians 15:49 Two early mss let’s also
  21. 1 Corinthians 15:50 Lit corruption
  22. 1 Corinthians 15:50 Lit incorruption
  23. 1 Corinthians 15:51 Or secret
  24. 1 Corinthians 15:52 Lit incorruptible
  25. 1 Corinthians 15:53 Lit corruptible
  26. 1 Corinthians 15:53 Lit incorruption
  27. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Lit corruptible
  28. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Lit incorruption

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, (D)by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless (E)you believed in vain.

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, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day (I)according to the Scriptures, (J)and that He was seen by [a]Cephas, then (K)by the twelve. 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. After that He was seen by James, then (L)by all the apostles. (M)Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

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.”

55 “O(BL)[n] Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your 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. 1 Corinthians 15:5 Peter
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:6 Died
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:18 Died
  4. 1 Corinthians 15:20 Died
  5. 1 Corinthians 15:30 danger
  6. 1 Corinthians 15:39 NU, M omit of flesh
  7. 1 Corinthians 15:40 heavenly
  8. 1 Corinthians 15:40 earthly
  9. 1 Corinthians 15:47 earthy
  10. 1 Corinthians 15:47 NU omits the Lord
  11. 1 Corinthians 15:48 earthy
  12. 1 Corinthians 15:49 M let us also bear
  13. 1 Corinthians 15:51 hidden truth
  14. 1 Corinthians 15:55 NU O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?

Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord.

A Song of Ascents.

128 (A)Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who (B)walks in His ways.
When you (C)eat the (D)fruit of the labor of your hands,
You will be happy and (E)it will go well for you.
Your wife will be like a (F)fruitful vine
[a]Within your house,
Your children like (G)olive plants
Around your table.
Behold, for so shall a man
Who fears the Lord be blessed.

(H)The Lord bless you (I)from Zion,
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
Indeed, may you see your (J)children’s children.
(K)Peace be upon Israel!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 128:3 Lit In the innermost parts of

Blessings of Those Who Fear the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

128 Blessed (A)is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.

(B)When you eat the [a]labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be (C)well with you.
Your wife shall be (D)like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your (E)children (F)like olive plants
All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.

(G)The Lord bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
Yes, may you (H)see your children’s children.

(I)Peace be upon Israel!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 128:2 Fruit of the labor