1 Corinthians 15
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also all of you have received, and wherein all of you stand;
Next, friends, I would like to remind you of the good news which I told you, and which you received – the good news on which you have taken your stand,
2 By which also all of you are saved, if all of you keep in memory what (logos) I preached unto you, unless all of you have believed in vain.
and by means of which you are being saved. I would like to remind you of the words that I used in telling it to you, since you are still holding fast to it, and since it was not in vain that you became believers in Christ.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
For at the very beginning of my teaching I gave you the account which I had myself received – that Christ died for our sins (as the scriptures had foretold),
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
that he was buried, that on the third day he was raised (as the scriptures had foretold),
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have gone to their rest.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
After that, he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Last of all, he appeared even to me, who am, as it were, a miscarried baby – born untimely.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
For I am the least of the apostles, I who am unworthy of the name of ‘apostle,’ because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
But it is through the love of God that I am what I am, and the love that he showed me has not been wasted. No, I have toiled harder than any of them, and yet it was not I, but the love of God working with me.
11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so all of you believed.
Whether, then, it was I or whether it was they, this we proclaim, and this you believed.
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Now, if it is proclaimed of Christ that he has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say that there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
But, if there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then even Christ has not been raised;
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
and, if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without meaning, and our faith without meaning also!
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
Yes, and we are being proved to have borne false testimony about God; for we testified of God that he raised the Christ, whom he did not raise, if, indeed, the dead do not rise!
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
For, if the dead do not rise, then even Christ himself has not been raised,
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; all of you are yet in your sins.
and, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is folly – your sins are on you still!
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
Yes, and they, who have passed to their rest in union with Christ, perished!
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
If all that we have done has been to place our hope in Christ for this life, then we of all people are the most to be pitied.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.
But, in truth, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are at rest.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For, since through a man there is death, so, too, through a man there is a resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
For, as through union with Adam all die, so through union with the Christ will all be made to live.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
But each in their proper order – Christ the first-fruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to the Christ.
24 Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
Then will come the end – when he surrenders the kingdom to his God and Father, having overthrown all other rule and all other authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet.
For he must reign until God ‘has put all his enemies under his feet.’
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
The last enemy to be overthrown is death;
27 For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
for God has placed all things under Christ’s feet. (But, when it is said that all things have been placed under Christ, it is plain that God is excepted who placed everything under him.)
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
And, when everything has been placed under him, the Son will place himself under God who placed everything under him, so that God may be all in all!
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
Again, what good will they be doing who are baptized on behalf of the dead? If it is true that the dead do not rise, why are people baptized on their behalf?
30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
Why, too, do we risk our lives every hour?
31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily.
Daily I face death – I swear it, friends, by the pride in you that I feel through my union with Christ Jesus, our Lord.
32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantages it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; in order to morrow we die.
If with only human hopes I had fought in the arena at Ephesus, what should I have gained by it? If the dead do not rise, then let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die!
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Do not be deceived. ‘Good character is marred by evil company.’
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Wake up to a righteous life, and cease to sin. There are some who have no true knowledge of God. I speak in this way to shame you.
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
Someone, however, may ask ‘How do the dead rise? And in what body will they come?’
36 You fool, that which you sow is not quickened, except it die:
You foolish person! The seed you yourself sow does not come to life, unless it dies!
37 And that which you sow, you sow not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
And when you sow, you sow not the body that will be, but a mere grain – perhaps of wheat, or something else.
38 But God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
God gives it the body that he pleases – to each seed its special body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
All forms of life are not the same; there is one for people, another for beasts, another for birds, and another for fish.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the beauty of the heavenly bodies is not the beauty of the earthly.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory.
There is a beauty of the sun, and a beauty of the moon, and a beauty of the stars; for even star differs from star in beauty.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. Sown a mortal body, it rises immortal; sown disfigured, it rises beautiful;
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
sown weak, it rises strong; sown a human body, it rises a spiritual body.
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
As surely as there is a human body, there is also a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a life-giving spirit. (pneuma)
That is what is meant by the words – ‘Adam, the first man, became a human being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 Nevertheless that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
That which comes first is not the spiritual, but the human; afterward comes the spiritual;
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
the first man was from the dust of the earth; the second man from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
Those who are of the dust are like him who came from the dust; and those who are of heaven are like him who came from heaven.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
And as we have borne the likeness of him who came from the dust, so let us bear the likeness of him who came from heaven.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
This I say, friends – Flesh and blood can have no share in the kingdom of God, nor can the perishable share the imperishable.
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
Listen, I will tell you God’s hidden purpose! We will not all have passed to our rest, but we will all be transformed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
at the last trumpet-call; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise immortal, and we, also, will be transformed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
For this perishable body of ours must put on an imperishable form, and this dying body a deathless form.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying (logos) that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
And, when this dying body has put on its deathless form, then indeed will the words of scripture come true –
‘death has been swallowed up in victory! Where, Death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?’ (Hadēs g86)
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
It is sin that gives death its sting, and it is the Law that gives sin its power.
57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be all of you steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as all of you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Therefore, my dear friends, stand firm, unshaken, always diligent in the Lord’s work, for you know that, in union with him, your toil is not in vain.
