1 Corinthians 15
1 Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye 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 ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye 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 also I received: 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 hath been raised on 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 appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve;
and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, 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 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles;
After that, he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles.
8 and last of all, as to the [child] untimely born, he appeared to me also.
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 found vain; but I labored 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 Whether then [it be] I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Whether, then, it was I or whether it was they, this we proclaim, and this you believed.
12 Now if Christ is preached that he hath been raised 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 is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised:
But, if there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then even Christ has not been raised;
14 and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is 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 witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised.
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 are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised:
For, if the dead do not rise, then even Christ himself has not been raised,
17 and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye 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 that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
Yes, and they, who have passed to their rest in union with Christ, perished!
19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.
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 hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.
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, so also 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 each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ’s, at his coming.
But each in their proper order – Christ the first-fruits; afterwards, at his coming, those who belong to the Christ.
24 Then [cometh] the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished 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 hath put all his 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 abolished is death.
The last enemy to be overthrown is death;
27 For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto 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 have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto 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 that are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?
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 why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?
Why, too, do we risk our lives every hour?
31 I protest by that glorying in you, brethren, 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 fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for 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 companionships corrupt good morals.
Do not be deceived. “Good character is marred by evil company.”
34 Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak [this] to move you to 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 one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come?
Someone, however, may ask “How do the dead rise? And in what body will they come?”
36 Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest 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 thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind;
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 giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own.
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 [flesh] of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes.
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 differeth 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 dishonor; 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body].
As surely as there is a human body, there is also a spiritual body.
45 So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit.
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 Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual.
That which comes first is not the spiritual, but the human; afterwards comes the spiritual;
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of 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 doth 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 tell you a mystery: We all shall not 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 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying 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 power 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, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
58 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not 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.
