1 Corinthians Chapter 15
The Resurrection of Jesus
1 My fellow Christians, I want you to know the most important thing in the good news I delivered to you, that you accepted, that you stand in, 2 that saves you if you hold onto it (unless you’ve believed for nothing): 3 Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 was buried, was resurrected the third day according to the scriptures, 5 appeared to Cephas, then the Twelve, 6 then to more than 500 disciples at the same time (most of them are still alive). 7 Next he appeared to James and then to all the apostles. 8 Last, he appeared to me like someone born out of season. 9 I’m the least of the apostles and don’t deserve to be called one because I persecuted God’s church. 10 But by God’s grace I am what I am, and his grace to me has produced results. I’ve worked harder than any of them—not so much me, but God’s grace in me. 11 So whether it’s me or them, Christ’s resurrection is what we proclaimed and what you believed.
1 Cor 15:1-11
The Resurrection of People
12 If we proclaimed that Christ resurrected, how can some of you say there’s no such thing as resurrection? 13 If that’s true, Christ hasn’t resurrected. 14 If he didn’t, then our preaching is worthless and so’s your faith. 15 Besides, we’re false witnesses for God because we’ve claimed he resurrected Christ, which he didn’t do if there’s no such thing as resurrection. 16 If dead people don’t resurrect, Christ didn’t. 17 If he didn’t resurrect, your faith is useless, you’re still in your sins, 18 and the dead in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hope in Christ only in this life, we’re the most pitiable people alive.
1 Cor 15:12-19
20 But, Christ has resurrected, the firstfruits from the dead. 21 Since death came by man, resurrection came by man. 22 As in Adam people die, so in Christ people resurrect— 23 each in sequence: Christ the firstfruits, then the ones that belong to him when he comes back. 24 Then the end will come, when he does away with all other rule, authority, and power. 25 He needs to reign till he overcomes all his enemies. 26 The last enemy he’ll overcome is death. 27 “God will subject everything to him” [Ps 8:6]. When it says “everything,” obviously it doesn’t include the One who did the “subjecting.” 28 When God subjects “everything” to the Son, the Son will be subject to God, so God will be ultimate in everything.
1 Cor 15:20-28
Ministry and the Hope of Resurrection
29 Otherwise, what will the ones baptized on behalf of the dead be doing? If the dead don’t resurrect, why be baptized on their behalf? 30 Why do we face danger all the time? 31 By the pride we take in you, the pride we have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I tell you, I die every day. 32 If, figuratively speaking, I fought wild animals in Ephesus, what good did it do? If the dead don’t resurrect,
“Let’s eat and drink;
we’re going to die tomorrow” [Is 22:13; 56:12].
33 Don’t kid yourselves,
“Bad company ruins good morals.”
34 Come to your senses about goodness, and don’t practice sinning. It’s a shame to say it, but some of you don’t know God.
1 Cor 15:29-34
The Resurrected Body
35 Somebody might ask, “How do dead people resurrect? What kind of body do they come with?” 36 Foolish one! What you plant doesn’t come to life unless it dies. 37 What you plant isn’t the body it’s going to become. You plant bare wheat seed, for example. 38 God gives it the body he wants it to have, and each kind of seed has its own shape. 39 People, cattle, birds, and fish all look different. 40 Things in the sky differ from things on the ground in how impressive they are. Things in the sky differ from each other in brightness— 41 the sun’s brighter than the moon; the moon’s brighter than the stars; the stars differ in how bright they are. 1 Cor 15:35-41
42 That’s how resurrection is. What’s planted in decay resurrects unable to decay; 43 what’s planted in dishonor resurrects in honor; what’s planted in weakness resurrects in power; 44 what’s planted as a physical body resurrects as a spiritual one. There’s a physical body and a spiritual body. 45 Scripture says,
“The first man Adam became a living being” [Gen 2:7];
the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But, the spiritual doesn’t come first; the physical comes, then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the dust of the earth; the second man is from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earth; heavenly ones are like heaven. 49 As we’ve been like the earth, we’ll be like heaven.
1 Cor 15:42-49
Victory Through Resurrection
50 I’m saying that because flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s kingdom. What perishes doesn’t inherit what doesn’t perish. 51 I’ll tell you a mystery: not everybody will die, but everybody will be changed— 52 in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet blast. The trumpet will blow, and the dead will resurrect imperishable, and we’ll be changed. 53 This perishable body must put on what’s not perishable; this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When that happens, what’s written will take place,
“Victory has swallowed up death [Is 25:8].
55 Death, where’s your victory?
Death, where’s your sting?” [Hos 13:14]
56 “Death’s sting” is sin, and sin’s power is law. 57 Thank God, who gives us the “victory” through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So stay steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work. You know your labor in the Lord amounts to something.
1 Cor 15:50-58