45It is written, “The first man Adam became a living person.” (Genesis 2:7) The last Adam became a spirit that gives life. 46What is spiritual did not come first. What is earthly came first. What is spiritual came after that. 47The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven.

48Those who belong to the earth are like the one who came from the earth. And those who are spiritual are like the one who came from heaven. 49We are like the earthly man. And we will be like the man from heaven.

50Brothers and sisters, here is what I’m telling you. Bodies made of flesh and blood can’t share in the kingdom of God. And what dies can’t share in what never dies.

51Listen! I am telling you a mystery. We will not all die. But we will all be changed. 52That will happen in a flash, as quickly as you can wink an eye. It will happen when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever. And we will be changed.

53Our natural bodies don’t last forever. They must be dressed with what does last forever. What dies must be dressed with what does not die. 54In fact, that is going to happen. What does not last will be dressed with what lasts forever. What dies will be dressed with what does not die. Then what is written will come true. It says, “Death has been swallowed up. It has lost the battle.” (Isaiah 25:8)

55 “Death, where is the battle you thought you were winning?

Death, where is your sting?” (Hosea 13:14)

56The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law. 57But let us give thanks to God! He wins the battle for us because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.