The Nature of the Resurrection Body

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

Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; z

43 sown in dishonor, a raised in glory; b

sown in weakness, raised in power; c

44 sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body.

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 e the last Adam f became a life-giving Spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual.

47 The first man was from the earth

and made of dust; g

the second man is h from heaven.

48 Like the man made of dust,

so are those who are made of dust;

like the heavenly man,

so are those who are heavenly. i

49 And just as we have borne

the image j of the man made of dust,

we will also bear

the image of the heavenly man. k

Victorious Resurrection

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

We will not all fall asleep,

but we will all be changed,

52 in 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.

53 For this corruptible must be clothed o

with incorruptibility, p

and this mortal must be clothed

with immortality.

54 When 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 q in victory. r s

55 Death, where is your victory?

Death, where is your sting? t u

56 Now the sting of death is sin,

and the power of sin v is the law. w

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

through our Lord Jesus Christ!

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