Shared Word Translation
1 Corinthians 15
The Resurrection of Christ
Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I proclaimed to you—unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve; then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, though some have fallen asleep; then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Therefore whether it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
Now if Christ is proclaimed as having been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is empty, and your faith is empty.
Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if indeed the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since through a man came death, through a man also came resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then those who are Christ’s at his coming, then the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death.
For “he has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says “all things are put in subjection,” it is evident that it excludes the one who subjected all things to him. And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself also will be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.
Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized on behalf of them?
Why also are we in danger every hour? I die daily—I affirm it, brothers, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. If according to man I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Become sober as you ought, and do not sin; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” Foolish one! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.
And what you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain; but God gives it a body as he willed, and to each of the seeds its own body.
Not all flesh is the same flesh, but one of humans, another flesh of animals, another of birds, and another of fish.
And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual.
So also it is written, “The first man Adam became a living soul”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual.
The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, such also are the earthy; and as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood are not able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
The Mystery of Transformation
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
But when this corruptible puts on incorruption, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the word that is written:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.