1 Corinthians 15:29–16:24

29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?w 31 I face death every dayx—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beastsy in Ephesusz with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,

“Let us eat and drink,

for tomorrow we die.”d a

33 Do not be misled:b “Bad company corrupts good character.”e c 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of Godd—I say this to your shame.e

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will ask,f “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”g 36 How foolish!h What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.i 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.j 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor,k the moon another and the stars another;l and star differs from star in splendor.

42 So will it bem with the resurrection of the dead.n The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;o 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;p it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.q

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”f;r the last Adam,s a life-giving spirit.t 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.u 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth;v the second man is of heaven.w 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.x 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,y so shall weg bear the image of the heavenly man.z

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blooda cannot inherit the kingdom of God,b nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.c 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery:d We will not all sleep,e but we will all be changedf—52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,g the deadh will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishablei must clothe itself with the imperishable,j and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”h k

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”i l

56 The sting of death is sin,m and the power of sin is the law.n 57 But thanks be to God!o He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.p

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,q because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.r

The Collection for the Lord’s People

16 Now about the collections for the Lord’s people:t Do what I told the Galatianu churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week,v each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.w 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approvex and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

Personal Requests

5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to youy—for I will be going through Macedonia.z 6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey,a wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.b 8 But I will stay on at Ephesusc until Pentecost,d 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me,e and there are many who oppose me.

10 When Timothyf comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord,g just as I am. 11 No one, then, should treat him with contempt.h Send him on his wayi in peacej so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

12 Now about our brother Apollos:k I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

13 Be on your guard; stand firml in the faith; be courageous; be strong.m 14 Do everything in love.n

15 You know that the household of Stephanaso were the first convertsp in Achaia,q and they have devoted themselves to the servicer of the Lord’s people.s I urge you, brothers and sisters, 16 to submitt to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.u 18 For they refreshedv my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.w

Final Greetings

19 The churches in the province of Asiax send you greetings. Aquila and Priscillaa y greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.z 20 All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.a

21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.b

22 If anyone does not love the Lord,c let that person be cursed!d Come, Lordb!e

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.f

24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.c