1 Corinthians 15–16

Resurrection Essential to the Gospel

15Now brothers, I want to clarify ^rfor you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand ^son it. ²You are also saved by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you—unless you believed for no purpose. ^tu3For I passed on to you ^vas most important what I also received:

that Christ died ^wfor our sins

according to the Scriptures, ^x

⁴that He was buried, ^y

that He was raised on the third day ^z

according to the Scriptures, ^a

⁵and that He appeared to Cephas, ^b

then to the Twelve. ^c

⁶Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time; ^d

most of them are still alive,

but some have fallen asleep.

⁷Then He appeared to James, ^e

then to all the apostles. ^f

⁸Last of all, as to one abnormally born, ^gh

He also appeared to me. ⁱ

⁹For I am the least of the apostles, ^junworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted ^kthe church of God. ¹⁰But by God’s grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective. However, I worked more than any of them, yet not I, but God’s grace that was with me. ^l11Therefore, whether it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed.

Resurrection Essential to the Faith

¹²Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, ^mhow can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? ⁿ¹³But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; ¹⁴and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without foundation, and so is your faith. ^o15In addition, we are found to be false witnesses ^pabout God, because we have testified ^qabout God that He raised up Christ—whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ ^rhave also perished. ¹⁹If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours

²⁰But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits ^sof those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since death ^tcame through a man, ^uthe resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. ^v22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ^w23But each in his own order: ^xChrist, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴Then comes the end, ^ywhen He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, ^zwhen He abolishes all rule and all authority and power. ^a25For He must reign ^buntil He puts all His enemies under His feet. ^c26The last enemy to be abolished is death. ^d27For God has put everything under His feet. ^efBut when it says “everything” is put under Him, it is obvious that He who puts everything under Him is the exception. ²⁸And when everything is subject to Christ, then the Son ^gHimself will also be subject to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all. ^h

Resurrection Supported by Christian Experience

²⁹Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them? ⁱ³⁰Why are we in danger every hour? ³¹I affirm by the pride in you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord: I die every day! ^j32If I fought wild animals in Ephesus ^kwith only human hope, ^lwhat good did that do me? ^mnIf the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. ^op33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ^q34Come to your senses ^rsand stop sinning, for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame. ^t

The Nature of the Resurrection Body

³⁵But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come?” ³⁶Foolish one! What you sow does not come to life ^uunless it dies. ³⁷And as for what you sow—you are not sowing the future body, but only a seed, ^vperhaps of wheat or another grain. ³⁸But God gives it a body as He wants, ^wand to each of the seeds its own body. ³⁹Not all flesh ^xis the same flesh; there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. ⁴⁰There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor ^yof the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones. ⁴¹There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; for one star differs from another star in splendor. ⁴²So it is with the resurrection of the dead:

Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; ^z

⁴³sown in dishonor, ^araised in glory; ^b

sown in weakness, raised in power; ^c

⁴⁴sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; ^dethe last Adam ^fbecame a life-giving Spirit. ⁴⁶However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual.

⁴⁷The first man was from the earth

and made of dust; ^g

the second man is ^hfrom heaven.

⁴⁸Like the man made of dust,

so are those who are made of dust;

like the heavenly man,

so are those who are heavenly. ⁱ

⁴⁹And just as we have borne

the image ^jof the man made of dust,

we will also bear

the image of the heavenly man. ^k

Victorious Resurrection

⁵⁰Brothers, I tell you this: Flesh ^land blood ^mcannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption. ⁵¹Listen! I am telling you a mystery:

We will not all fall asleep,

but we will all be changed,

⁵²in a moment, in the blink of an eye,

at the last trumpet. ⁿ

For the trumpet will sound,

and the dead will be raised incorruptible,

and we will be changed.

⁵³For this corruptible must be clothed ^o

with incorruptibility, ^p

and this mortal must be clothed

with immortality.

⁵⁴When this corruptible is clothed

with incorruptibility,

and this mortal is clothed

with immortality,

then the saying that is written will take place:

Death has been swallowed up ^qin victory. ^rs

⁵⁵Death, where is your victory?

Death, where is your sting? ^tu

⁵⁶Now the sting of death is sin,

and the power of sin ^vis the law. ^w

⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory ^x

through our Lord Jesus Christ!

⁵⁸Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, ^yknowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Collection for the Jerusalem Church

16Now about the collection ^zfor the saints: You should do the same as I instructed the Galatian ^achurches. ²On the first day of the week, ^bceach of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come. ^d3When I arrive, I will send with letters ^ethose you recommend to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem. ^f4If it is suitable for me to go as well, they can travel with me.

Paul’s Travel Plans

⁵I will come to you after I pass through Macedonia ^g—for I will be traveling through Macedonia— ⁶and perhaps I will remain with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I go. ⁷I don’t want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows. ^h8But I will stay in Ephesus ⁱuntil Pentecost, ^j9because a wide door ^kfor effective ministry has opened for me ^l—yet many oppose me. ¹⁰If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear from you, because he is doing the Lord’s work, ^mjust as I am. ¹¹Therefore, no one should look down ⁿon him. Send him on his way in peace so he can come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. ^o

¹²About our brother Apollos: ^pI strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. However, he will come when he has an opportunity.

Final Exhortation

¹³Be alert, stand firm in the faith, ^qact like a man, be strong. ¹⁴Your every action must be done with love. ^r

¹⁵Brothers, you know the household of Stephanas: They are the firstfruits ^sof Achaia ^tand have devoted themselves to serving the saints. I urge you ¹⁶also to submit to such people, and to everyone who works and labors with them. ¹⁷I am pleased to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus present, because these men have made up for your absence. ¹⁸For they have refreshed my spirit ^uand yours. Therefore recognize ^vsuch people.

Conclusion

¹⁹The churches of Asia ^wgreet you. ^xAquila and Priscilla ^ygreet you warmly in the Lord, along with the church that meets in their home. ^z20All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. ^a

²¹This greeting is in my own hand ^bc—Paul. ²²If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Marana tha that is, Lord, come! ^d23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ^e24My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.