English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

1Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it.

2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

2It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

3I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.

4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

5He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.

6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

6After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

7Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.

8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

8Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

9For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

9For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

10But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

11So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed. The Resurrection of the Dead

12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

12But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead?

13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

13For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.

14And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

14And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

15And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.

16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

16And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.

17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

17And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.

18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

18In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!

19If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

19And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

20But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

21So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man.

22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

22Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

23But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

24After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.

25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

25For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet.

26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

26And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

27For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.)

28When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

28Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

29Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

29If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again?

30Why are we in danger every hour?

30And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour?

31I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!

31For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you.

32What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

32And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus —if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

33Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

33Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

34Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

34Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. The Resurrection Body

35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”

35But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?”

36You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

36What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first.

37And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.

37And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting.

38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

38Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed.

39For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

39Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

40There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.

40There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies.

41There 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.

41The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.

42So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.

42It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.

43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

43Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength.

44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

44They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

45Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

45The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.

46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.

46What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later.

47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

47Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven.

48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.

48Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man.

49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

49Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.

50I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

50What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.

51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

51But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!

52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

52It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.

53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

53For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

54When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

54Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.

55“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

55O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ”

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

56For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

57But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

58So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.