1 Corinthians 15
1 But I make known to you, brethren, the glad tidings which I announced to you, which also ye received, in which also ye stand,
Now, my fellow believers, I want to remind you about the message about Christ that I preached to you. It is the message that you received and that you have continued to trust firmly.
2 by which also ye are saved, (if ye hold fast the word which I announced to you as the glad tidings, ) unless indeed ye have believed in vain.
If you keep on firmly [believing] this message that I preached to you, you will be saved {[God] will save you}. If you do not continue to believe it, your believing [in Christ] was (all for nothing/useless)!
3 For I delivered to you, in the first place, what also I had received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures;
The most important part of the message that I received [from the Lord Jesus], and that I told you, was this: Christ died to [take away the guilt] of our sins, as the Scriptures [said that he would do].
4 and that he was buried; and that he was raised the third day, according to the scriptures;
His [dead body] was buried {They buried his [body]}. On the third day [after that], [God] caused him to become alive again, as the Scriptures [said would happen].
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
After that, [Christ] was seen by {appeared to} Peter. Then he appeared to [eleven of] the [original] twelve [apostles].
6 Then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the most remain until now, but some also have fallen asleep.
Later he was seen by {appeared to} more than 500 of our fellow believers. Most of those are still living, but some of them have died [EUP].
7 Then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles;
Then he was seen by {appeared [to]} [his younger brother] James, [who became the leader of the congregation in Jerusalem]. Then he appeared to all of the apostles.
8 and last of all, as to an abortion, he appeared to me also.
Finally, he was seen by {appeared to} me, but I became an apostle in a way that was very unusual [MET].
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called apostle, because I have persecuted the assembly of God.
The fact is, I [consider that I] am the least important of the apostles. I do not deserve to be an apostle, because I (persecuted God’s groups of believers/caused God’s groups of believers to suffer) [everywhere I went].
10 But by God's grace I am what I am; and his grace, which [was] towards me, has not been vain; but I have laboured more abundantly than they all, but not I, but the grace of God which [was] with me.
But it is because God acted kindly toward me in ways that I did not deserve that I became what I am now. And his acting kindly toward me produced a great result [LIT], which is that I worked harder [for Christ] than all the other apostles. But it was not that I [was working with my own ability]. Instead, God was helping me in a way I did not deserve.
11 Whether, therefore, I or they, thus we preach, and thus ye have believed.
So it does not matter whether it was I [who was preaching or whether it was the other apostles who were preaching]. We all preached [the same message], and that message is what you believed.
12 Now if Christ is preached that he is raised from among [the] dead, how say some among you that there is not a resurrection of [those that are] dead?
So now [let me ask you this]: Since [we] have all preached to you that Christ was raised again {that [God] caused Christ to become alive} after he died, (no one among you should be saying that [God] will not cause [believers] to become alive again after they die!/why do some of you say that [God] will not cause [believers] to become alive again after they die?) [RHQ]
13 But if there is not a resurrection of [those that are] dead, neither is Christ raised:
If [it is true that God] will not cause anyone to become alive again, that situation would mean that Christ was not raised from the dead {[he] did not cause Christ to become alive again}!
14 but if Christ is not raised, then, indeed, vain also [is] our preaching, and vain also your faith.
And if Christ was not raised from the dead {if [God] did not cause Christ to become alive again}, then what we preached to you was useless, and your believing [in Christ] is useless.
15 And we are found also false witnesses of God; for we have witnessed concerning God that he raised the Christ, whom he has not raised if indeed [those that are] dead are not raised.
[If it is true that] no one will be raised from the dead {[that God] will not cause anyone to become alive again after he dies}, we [(exc)] have been guilty of lying to you about God, because we told you that God caused Christ to become alive again.
16 For if [those that are] dead are not raised, neither is Christ raised;
But if it were really true that no one who has died will be raised {that [God will] not cause anyone who has died to become alive} again, then Christ was not raised {[he] did not cause Christ to become alive} again either!
17 but if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
If it were true that Christ was not raised {that [God] did not cause Christ to become alive} again after he died, you have believed in Christ for nothing, [because] God will still [punish] you for [MTY] your sins.
18 Then indeed also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
And those people who died [EUP] [while they were trusting] in Christ will go to hell. (questioned)
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are [the] most miserable of all men.
In this life [many of us have suffered much for Christ] because we confidently expect [that he will reward us in heaven]. If we have confidently expected this in vain, people should pity us more than they pity anyone else!
20 (But now Christ is raised from among [the] dead, first-fruits of those fallen asleep.
But [the truth is that] Christ has been raised from the dead {that [God] has caused Christ to live again after he had died}, and (that guarantees/because of that, it is certain) [MET] that he will also cause those [believers] who have died [EUP] to become alive again.
21 For since by man [came] death, by man also resurrection of [those that are] dead.
What one man, [Adam, did affects us all]. We all die. Similarly, what one man—[Christ]—did [affects us(inc) all]: God will cause [all believers] to become alive again.
22 For as in the Adam all die, thus also in the Christ all shall be made alive.
Because of what Adam did, all [of us who are descended] from him die. Similarly, because of what [Christ did], all of us who have a close relationship with him will be brought back to life {[God] will make alive all of us who have a close relationship with Christ}.
23 But each in his own rank: [the] first-fruits, Christ; then those that are the Christ's at his coming.
But we must all take our turn. [God raised] Christ first [MET]. And when Christ returns, [God will cause] those who belong to Christ to become alive again.
24 Then the end, when he gives up the kingdom to him [who is] God and Father; when he shall have annulled all rule and all authority and power.
Then, after Christ has destroyed all [DOU] the evil powers that oppose God, [the world] will end. Then Christ will give to God, his Father, his kingdom to completely rule over it.
25 For he must reign until he put all enemies under his feet.
You must realize that Christ must rule [here on earth] until he has completely defeated [MTY] all his enemies.
26 [The] last enemy [that] is annulled [is] death.
The last thing that [he] will get rid of is death. [But he certainly will get rid of death, which is like] an enemy [to us].
27 For he has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he says that all things are put in subjection, [it is] evident that [it is] except him who put all things in subjection to him.
[In the Scriptures the Psalmist wrote that] God will cause everything to be under Christ’s [authority] [MTY]. But it is clear that the word ‘everything’ here does not include God, because God is the one who will cause everything to be under Christ’s [authority] [MTY].
28 But when all things shall have been brought into subjection to him, then the Son also himself shall be placed in subjection to him who put all things in subjection to him, that God may be all in all.)
After everything is put under [the authority of] God’s Son, then Christ will put himself completely under [the authority of] God, the one who gave him that authority. Then God will be completely in control of everything [IDM], everywhere.
29 Since what shall the baptised for the dead do if [those that are] dead rise not at all? why also are they baptised for them?
[Now think about this: Some among you] are being baptized (OR, are baptizing people) on behalf of those who died [before someone baptized them] (OR, who died [before they became believers]). If, [as some people say, believers] will not be raised [from the dead] {[God] will not cause [believers] to become alive again}, (what is the value in those people doing that?/there is no value in those people doing that!) [RHQ] If [God] will not cause any [believers] to become alive again, it is senseless to be baptized {baptize anyone} on behalf of someone who has died. [RHQ]
30 Why do we also endanger ourselves every hour?
Furthermore, [if God will not cause us believers to become alive again], it is [RHQ] very foolish for me and the other apostles to be constantly [putting ourselves] in danger [because we tell people the gospel].
31 Daily I die, by your boasting which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.
My fellow believers, every day I [am in danger of] being killed {people killing me}! That is as true as it is that I am pleased with you because of your close relationship with Christ Jesus our Lord.
32 If, [to speak] after the manner of man, I have fought with beasts in Ephesus, what is the profit to me if [those that are] dead do not rise? let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die.
[If God will not cause us believers to become alive again after we die], (I will receive no benefit at all [from having opposed those who attacked me so strongly] in Ephesus [city]./what will I gain [from having opposed those who attacked me so strongly] in Ephesus [city]?) [RHQ] They were [fighting me like] wild beasts! If we [believers] will not be raised [from the dead] {If [God] will not cause us [believers] to live again}, we might as well say [as people often say]: “Tomorrow we are going to die, so we might as well enjoy now everything that we can. We might as well feast and get drunk!”
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Do not let [yourselves be deceived by those who say that God will not cause believers to live again] {Do not let [people who say that God will not cause believers to live again] deceive you}. If you associate with evil people [who say such things], they will (influence you to do evil things/destroy your good moral way of living).
34 Awake up righteously, and sin not; for some are ignorant of God: I speak to you as a matter of shame.
Start thinking correctly again [about these matters], as you should, and [stop your sinful behavior which has resulted from] your wrong thinking. [I say that] because [it seems that] some among you do not know God, and as a result they [are thinking wrongly]. I say that to make you ashamed.
35 But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what body do they come?
But some of you are asking, “How will dead people be raised {How will [God] cause dead people to become alive} again? What kind of bodies will they have?”
36 Fool; what thou sowest is not quickened unless it die.
[Anyone who asks such questions is] foolish. You [know that] a seed that is planted in the ground must completely change its form [MET] before it sprouts.
37 And what thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain: it may be of wheat, or some one of the rest:
A seed, such as a wheat seed, is very different from the plant that sprouts from it.
38 and God gives to it a body as he has pleased, and to each of the seeds its own body.
God gives everything that lives the form that he desires. He gives each seed its own form.
39 Every flesh [is] not the same flesh, but one [is] of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another [flesh] of birds, and another of fishes.
[Similarly], people, animals, birds, and fish all have flesh, but each one has a different kind of flesh.
40 And [there are] heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies: but different is the glory of the heavenly, different that of the earthly:
Also, there are angelic beings in heaven (OR, stars and planets in the sky), and there are people with bodies on the earth. The angelic beings (OR, stars and planets) are beautiful in one way, and people on earth are beautiful in a different way.
41 one [the] sun's glory, and another [the] moon's glory, and another [the] stars' glory; for star differs from star in glory.
The sun is bright in one way, and the moon is bright in a different way, and the stars are bright in a different way. And even the various stars are different from each other in how bright they are.
42 Thus also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruptibility.
And it is the same way [with our bodies. The bodies that we will have when God causes us] to live again after we die [will not be the same as the bodies that we have now] [MET]. [The bodies that we have now] will die and decay. [The new bodies that we will have] will never die.
43 It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
We despise [the bodies that we have now], before we die. But our [new bodies] will be glorious. The [bodies that we have before we die] are weak. But our new bodies will be strong.
44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body: if there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [one].
The bodies that we have before we die are natural bodies. But [our new bodies] will be ones that [God’s] Spirit ([controls/gives us]). Just like there are natural bodies, there are bodies that [God’s] Spirit [completely] controls (OR, makes alive).
45 Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit.
[In the Scriptures] it is written {we read} that [when] the first man, Adam, [was created], he became a living human being. [Christ later also became a human being]. But [he is different from Adam, because he] became a person who gives us [spiritual] life.
46 But that which is spiritual [was] not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual:
But our bodies that God’s Spirit (will completely control/will give us) are not the first bodies that we have. We have our natural bodies first.
47 the first man out of [the] earth, made of dust; the second man, out of heaven.
The first man, [Adam], was created {[God] created the first man, Adam} from the dust of the earth. But [Christ], the one who came later, came from heaven.
48 Such as he made of dust, such also those made of dust; and such as the heavenly [one], such also the heavenly [ones].
Everyone on earth [has a body] like the first man on the earth had. And in heaven, [everyone will have a body like Christ], the man who came from heaven, has.
49 And as we have borne the image of the [one] made of dust, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly [one].
And just like [God] gave us bodies like the first man on earth had, so we [believers will have bodies] like [Christ] has, who is now in heaven.
50 But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruptibility.
My fellow believers, I want you to know that we [(inc)] [SYN] cannot go [to heaven, where] God rules [over everything], with our physical bodies, because our bodies [cannot last forever]. They will die and decay.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed,
But I will tell you something that [God] has not revealed [before]: [Some of] us [believers] will not die [EUP]. However, all of us will be changed {[God] will change all of us}.
52 in an instant, in [the] twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
[It will happen] suddenly, as [fast as someone can] blink his eye [MET], when [we hear the sound of God’s] trumpet for the last time. When we hear that trumpet, all [the believers] who have died will come back to life and will have bodies that are changed {that [God] has changed}, bodies that will never decay.
53 For this corruptible must needs put on incorruptibility, and this mortal put on immortality.
And the [bodies of us who are alive at that time] will [also] be changed {And [God] will [also] change the [bodies of us who are alive at that time]}. These bodies of ours that die and decay must be transformed into [new bodies that] will never die; [it will be like someone] [MET] getting rid of [his old clothes] and putting on [new ones].
54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the word written: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
When that happens, what is written {what ([a prophet/Isaiah]) wrote} [in the Scriptures] will come true/happen: [God] will completely get rid of [MET] death. Our dying will no longer have any power to defeat us;
Death [APO] will not win a victory over us. Death will not be able to hurt us. (Hadēs g86)
56 Now the sting of death [is] sin, and the power of sin the law;
It is because we sin [MET] [that we die, and it is because we] have God’s laws that we [know that we] have sinned.
57 but thanks to God, who gives us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ.
But because of what our Lord Jesus Christ [has done], he enables us to be free [from having to obey God’s laws to be saved and to be free of being afraid to die]. We should thank God for that!
58 So then, my beloved brethren, be firm, immovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in [the] Lord.
So, my fellow believers whom I love, continue to hold strongly to [the things that you believe]. Do not let anything cause you to doubt them. Always be doing enthusiastically the work that the Lord [gives you]. And remember that the work that you do for the Lord is never (in vain/useless), [as it would be if God will not cause us to live again after we die].
