1 Corinthians 15–16

The Resurrection of Christ

¹⁵Now I want you to understand, brothers and sisters, the good news^g that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand,^{* 2}through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.^*

³For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures^{* 4}and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures^{* 5}and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.^{* 6}Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.^{h 7}Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.^{* 8}Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.^{* 9}For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.^{* 10}But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me.^{* 11}Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹²Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised, ¹⁴and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.^{* 16}For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have diedⁱ in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

²⁰But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.^{j* 21}For since death came through a human, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human,^{* 22}for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. ²³But each in its own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power.^{* 25}For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.^{* 26}The last enemy to be destroyed is death.^{* 27}For “God^k has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him.^{* 28}When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.^*

²⁹Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

³⁰And why are we putting ourselves in danger every hour?^{* 31}I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters, as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord.^{* 32}If I fought with wild animals at Ephesus with a merely human perspective, what would I have gained by it? If the dead are not raised,

“Let us eat and drink,

for tomorrow we die.”^*

³³Do not be deceived:

“Bad company ruins good morals.”

³⁴Sober up, as you rightly ought to, and sin no more, for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.^*

The Resurrection Body

³⁵But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” ³⁶Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.^{* 37}And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. ³⁸But God gives it a body as he has chosen and to each kind of seed its own body. ³⁹Not all flesh is alike, but there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. ⁴⁰There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another. ⁴¹There is one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory.

⁴²So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. ⁴³It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.^{* 44}It is sown a physical body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.^{* 46}But it is not the spiritual that is first but the physical and then the spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man was from the earth, made of dust; the second man is^l from heaven.^{* 48}As one of dust, so are those who are of the dust, and as one of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹Just as we have borne the image of the one of dust, we will^m also bear the image of the one of heaven.^*

⁵⁰What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.^{* 51}Look, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die,ⁿ but we will all be changed,^{* 52}in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.^{* 53}For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴When this perishable body puts on imperishability and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^*

⁵⁵“Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.^{* 57}But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.^*

The Collection for the Saints

¹⁶Now concerning the collection for the saints: you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia.^{* 2}On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come.^{* 3}And when I arrive, I will send any whom you approve with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.

Plans for Travel

⁵I will visit you after passing through Macedonia—for I intend to pass through Macedonia^*—⁶and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way, wherever I go. ⁷I do not want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. ⁸But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, ⁹for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

¹⁰If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am;^{* 11}therefore let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers and sisters.^*

¹²Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers and sisters, but he was not at all willing to come now. He will come when he has the opportunity.^*

Final Messages and Greetings

¹³Keep alert; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.^{* 14}Let all that you do be done in love.^*

¹⁵Now, brothers and sisters, you know that members of the household of Stephanas were the first fruits in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints;^{* 16}I urge you to put yourselves at the service of such people and of everyone who works and toils with them.^{* 17}I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence,^{* 18}for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such persons.^*

¹⁹The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord.^{* 20}All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. ²²Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come!^{o* 23}The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.^p