1 Corinthians

The first epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, chapter 15, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 15 New English Translation

Christ's Resurrection

   1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you - unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received - that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, this is the way we preach and this is the way you believed.

No Resurrection?

   12 Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there 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 if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty. 15 Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed 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 useless; you are still in your sins. 18 Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 19 For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.
   20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be eliminated is death. 27 For he has put everything in subjection under his feet. But when it says "everything" has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him. 28 And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that 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, then why are they baptized for them? 30 Why too are we in danger every hour? 31 Every day I am in danger of death! This is as sure as my boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD. 32 If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 34 Sober up as you should, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God - I say this to your shame!

The Resurrection Body

   35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 36 Fool! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare seed - perhaps of wheat or something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as he planned, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same: People have one flesh, animals have another, birds and fish another. 40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The glory of the heavenly body is one sort and the earthly 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 It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. 43 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living person"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear the image of the man of heaven.
   50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - 52 in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
   55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
   56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ! 58 So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the LORD, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the LORD.

King James Version

   1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
   2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
   3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
   4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
   5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
   6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
   7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
   8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
   9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
   10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
   11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
   12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
   13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
   14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
   15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
   16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
   17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
   18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
   19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
   20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
   21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
   22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
   23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
   24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
   25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
   26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
   27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
   28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
   29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
   30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
   31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
   32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
   33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
   34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
   35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
   36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
   37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
   38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
   39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
   40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
   41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
   42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
   43 It is sown in dishonour; 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, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
   46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
   47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
   48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
   49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
   50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
   51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
   52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
   53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
   54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
   55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
   56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
   57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
   58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.