1 Corinthians 15:20–49

²⁰But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since through a man came death, also through a man came the resurrection of the dead. ²²For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ²³But each in his own group: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s at his coming, ²⁴then the end, when he hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵For it is necessary for him to reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶The last enemy to be abolished is death. ²⁷For “he subjected all things under his feet.”^d But when it says “all things” are subjected, it is clear that the one who subjected all things to him is not included. ²⁸But whenever all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected^e to the one who subjected all things to him, in order that God may be all in all.

²⁹Otherwise, why do they do it, those who are being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why indeed are they being baptized on behalf of them? ³⁰And why are we in danger every hour? ³¹I die every day—yes indeed, by my boasting in you,^f which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord! ³²If according to a human perspective I fought wild beasts at Ephesus, what benefit is it to me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.^{g 33}Do not be deceived! “Bad company corrupts good morals.”^{h 34}Sober up correctly and stop sinningⁱ, for some have no knowledge of God—I say this to your shame.

Questions Concerning the Resurrection Body

³⁵But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what sort of body do they come?” ³⁶Foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷And what you sow is not the body which it will become, but you sow the bare seed, whether perhaps of wheat or of some of the rest. ³⁸But God gives to it a body just as he wishes, and to each one of the seeds its own body. ³⁹Not all flesh is the same, but there is one flesh of human beings, and another flesh of animals, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish, ⁴⁰and heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the glory of the heavenly bodies is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly bodies is of another kind. ⁴¹There 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.

⁴²Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruptibility. ⁴³It is sown in dishonor, 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 body. ⁴⁵Thus also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul”;^j the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶But the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man is from the earth, made of earth; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸As the one who is made of earth, so also are those who are made of earth, and as the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹And just as we have borne the image of the one who is made of earth, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.