1 Corinthians 15
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare anew to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also ye received, and wherein ye stand,
Now I want to remind you about the good news I announced to you. You accepted it, and you have stood firm for it.
2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the same word which I preached to you, unless ye believed in vain.
It is through this good news that you are saved if you hold on to the message that I gave you. Otherwise you trusted for nothing!
3 For I delivered to you first of all what I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures;
I passed on to you what I myself had also received, a message of vital importance: that Christ died for our sins, according to Scripture;
4 and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Scriptures;
he was buried and was raised from the dead on the third day, again in accordance with Scripture.
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
He appeared to Peter, then to the Twelve.
6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still alive today, though some have died.
7 After that, he appeared to James; then to all the apostles.
He appeared to James, then all the apostles.
8 And last of all, as to one born out of due time, he appeared also to me.
Last of all, he also appeared to me, someone born as it were at the wrong time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, one not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
For I'm the least important apostle of all, not even fit to be called an apostle since I persecuted God's church.
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 labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
But by God's grace I am what I am, and his grace given to me wasn't wasted. On the contrary I've worked harder than all of them—though not me, but God's grace working through me.
11 Whether, then, it were I or they, thus we preach, and thus ye believed.
So whether it's I or them, this is the message we shared with you that brought you to trust in God.
12 But if Christ be preached that he hath risen from the dead, how is it that some among you say, that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Now if the message declares that Christ has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say there's no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ hath not risen;
If there's no resurrection of the dead then Christ hasn't been raised either.
14 and if Christ hath not risen, then is our preaching vain, and vain also is your faith.
And if Christ isn't raised, then our message we shared with you is pointless, and your trust in God is pointless too.
15 And we are also found false witnesses concerning God; because we testified concerning God that he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up, if so be that the dead rise not.
In addition, we would be shown to be false witnesses of God when we testified that God raised Christ from the dead. But God didn't raise Christ from the dead if it's true that there's no resurrection.
16 For if the dead rise not, then Christ hath not risen;
If the dead are not raised, then Christ hasn't been raised either,
17 and if Christ hath not risen, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins;
and if Christ hasn't been raised, then your trust in God is useless, and you are still in your sins.
18 then also they that have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
This also means that those who died in Christ are lost.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
If our hope in Christ is only for this life, we're the most pitiful people of all!
20 But now hath Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that have fallen asleep.
But Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of the harvest from those who have died.
21 For since through man came death, through man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Just as death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead came through a man.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be made alive.
Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
23 But every one in his own order; Christ the first-fruits, afterward they that are Christ's, at his coming.
But each in their own turn: Christ the firstfruits, then those who belong to Christ when he comes.
24 Then will be the end, when he delivereth up the kingdom to God, the Father, when he shall have destroyed all dominion, and all authority, and power.
After this comes the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having destroyed all rulers, authorities, and powers.
25 For he must reign, “till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”
Christ has to rule until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy, death, will be destroyed;
The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
27 for “he put all things under his feet.” But when it is said that all things have been put under him, it is manifest that he who put all things under him is excepted.
As Scripture says, “He put everything under his feet.” (Of course when it says “everything” is put under him it's obvious this doesn't refer to God who placed everything under Christ's authority.)
28 And when all things have been put under him, then will also the Son himself become subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
When everything has been placed under Christ's authority, then the Son will also place himself under God's authority, so that God who gave the Son authority over everything may be all in all.
29 If it be not so, what are they doing, who are baptized for the dead? If the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for them?
Otherwise what will those people do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then would people be baptized for them?
30 Why also do we stand in peril every hour?
As for us, why do we place ourselves in danger hour after hour?
31 I protest, brethren, by my glorying in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily.
I die every day—let me say it bluntly, my brothers and sisters. This is just as sure as the pride I have for what Christ Jesus has done in you.
32 If with the views of men I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead rise not, “let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.”
Humanly speaking, what would I gain by fighting with those people in Ephesus who were like wild animals, if the dead are not raised? If the dead are not raised, “let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die”!
33 Be not deceived; “evil communications corrupt good manners.”
Don't be fooled: “bad company ruins good character.”
34 Awake, as is your duty, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God; I say it to your shame.
Come to your senses as you should, and stop sinning! Some of you don't know God. I tell you this to shame you.
35 But some one will say, How are the dead to rise? and with what body do they come?
Of course somebody will ask, “How exactly are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?”
36 Fool! that which thou sowest is not brought to life unless it die;
What a foolish question! What you sow doesn't sprout into life unless it dies.
37 and what thou sowest, not the body that shall be dost thou sow, but a bare grain, of wheat perhaps, or of some of the other grains;
When you sow, you don't sow the plant it will grow into, just the bare seed, whether wheat or whatever you're planting.
38 but God giveth it a body, as he willed, and to every seed its own body.
God makes the plant grow into the form he has chosen, and different seeds produce different plants with different forms.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men, another of beasts, another of birds, another of fishes.
What living things are made from is not the same. Human beings have one kind of body tissue, while animals have another, birds another, and fish another.
40 There are also heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.
There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies have one kind of beauty, earthly bodies another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory.
The sun shines in one way, and the moon another, while the stars are different again, with each one shining in a different way.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption;
It's the same with the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in decay; it is raised to last forever.
43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
It is sown in shame; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
44 it is sown an animal body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is an animal body, there is also a spiritual body.
It is sown as a natural body; it is raised as a spiritual body. Just as there are natural bodies there are spiritual bodies.
45 Thus is it also written: “The first man Adam became a living soul;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
As Scripture says, “The first man, Adam, became a living being;” but the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
46 But the spiritual is not first, but the animal; and afterward the spiritual.
The spiritual did not come first, but the natural—the spiritual came after that.
47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.
The first man is from the dust of the earth; the second man is from heaven.
48 As was the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly;
Earthly people are like the man made from the earth; heavenly people are like the man from heaven.
49 and as we bore the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Just as we bore the likeness of the earthly man so we shall bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50 And this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor doth corruption inherit incorruption.
However, I tell you this, my brothers and sisters: our present bodies cannot inherit the kingdom of God. These decaying bodies cannot inherit what lasts forever.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed,
Listen, I'm going to reveal a mystery! Not all of us will die—but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet. The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised never to die again, and we will be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
For this perishable body must be clothed with a body that never perishes. This mortal life must be clothed with immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then will be brought to pass that which is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
When this perishable body has been clothed with a body that never perishes, and this mortal life has been clothed with immortality, then the Scripture will come true that says, “Death has been totally conquered and destroyed.
Death—where's your victory? Death—where's your sting?” (Hadēs g86)
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the Law.
The sting that causes death is sin; and the power of sin is the law;
57 But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
but praise God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, since ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
So my dear brothers and sisters: be strong, stand firm, doing everything you can for the Lord's work, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord is wasted.
