1 Corinthians 15:20–49

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.^*