1 Corinthians 15:35–58

³⁵But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what body do they come? ³⁶Fool; what thou sowest is not quickened unless it die. ³⁷And what thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain: it may be of wheat, or some one of the rest: ³⁸and God gives to it a body as he has pleased, and to each of the seeds its own body. ³⁹Every flesh is not the same flesh, but one is of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. ⁴⁰And there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies: but different is the glory of the heavenly, different that of the earthly: ⁴¹one the sun’s glory, and another the moon’s glory, and another the stars’ glory; for star differs from star in glory. ⁴²Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruptibility. ⁴³It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body: if there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one. ⁴⁵Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit. ⁴⁶But that which is spiritual was not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual: ⁴⁷the first man out of the earth, made of dust; the second man, out of heaven. ⁴⁸Such as he made of dust, such also those made of dust; and such as the heavenly one, such also the heavenly ones. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly one. ⁵⁰But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruptibility.

⁵¹Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must needs put on incorruptibility, and this mortal put on immortality. ⁵⁴But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the word written: Death has been swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵Where, O death, is thy sting? where, O death, thy victory? ⁵⁶Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin the law; ⁵⁷but thanks to God, who gives us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸So then, my beloved brethren, be firm, immovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.