The Resurrection of Christ

1Now I make known to you, brethren, the Gospel which I proclaimed to you, which also ye received, in which also ye have been standing; 2through which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I proclaimed to you, unless ye believed in vain.

3For I delivered to you, among the first things, that which also I received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4and that He was buried, and that He hath been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures; 5and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, 6after that He appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some fell asleep. 7After that He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8and, last of all, as to one born out of time, He appeared to me also. 9For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God. 10But by God's grace I am what I am; and His grace which was bestowed upon me did not prove vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11Whether, therefore, it be I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12Now 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. 13But, if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised; 14and, if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, and vain is your faith; 15and we are found also false witnesses of God, because we testified in respect to God that He raised up the Christ, Whom He raised not, if so be that the dead are not raised. 16For, if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised; 17and, if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins! 18Hence, also, those who fell asleep in Christ perished! 19If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable!

The Order of Resurrection

20But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the First fruit of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since through man came death, through Man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive; 23but each in his own rank; Christ, the First-fruit; then those who are Christ's at His coming. 24Then comes the end, when He delivereth up the Kingdom to God, even His Father; when He shall abolish all rule and all authority and power; 25for He must reign, till He hath put all the enemies under His feet. 26As the last enemy, death is abolished; 27for He put all things in subjection under His feet. But, when He saith, "All things have been put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted, Who subjected all things to Him. 28And, when all things shall be subjected to Him, then will the Son also Himself be subjected to Him Who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all.

29Else what will those do who are immersed for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are they even immersed for them? 30Why, too, are we in peril every hour? 31Daily am I dying, I avow by the glorying in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord! 32If in human fashion I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what is the profit to me? If the dead rise not; "Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die." 33Be not deceived; evil companionships corrupt good morals. 34Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have not a knowledge of God: I say it to your shame!

The Resurrection Body

35But some one will say, "How are the dead raised? and with what kind of body do they come?" 36Foolish one! that which you sow is not made alive, except it die; 37and that which you sow, you sow not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may be of wheat, or of some other kind; 38but God giveth it a body, even as He willed, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is, indeed, one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. 40There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and that of the terrestrial another. 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.

42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So also it has been written, "The first man Adam was a living soul"; the last Adam, a life-giving Spirit. 46And the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47The first man is of the earth earthy; the second Man is from Heaven. 48As was the earthy, such also are the earthy; and as is the Heavenly, such also are the heavenly. 49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the Heavenly.

Where, O Death, Is Your Victory?

50And this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in 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. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54And, when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then will come to pass the saying that has been written, "Death was swallowed up in victory." 55Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? 56The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: 57but thanks be to God, Who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

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