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Resurrection Essential to the Gospel

¹ Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand^{(C1) 2} and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.^{(C1) 3} For I passed on to you^(C1) as most important what I also received: that Christ died^(C2) for our sins according to the Scriptures,^{(C3) 4} that he was buried,^(C1) that he was raised on the third day^(C2) according to the Scriptures,^{(C3) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas,^(C1) then to the Twelve.^{(C2) 6} Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time;^(C1) most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James,^(C1) then to all the apostles.^{(C2) 8} Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time,^(F1)(C1) he also appeared to me.^(C2)

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles,^(C1) not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(C2) the church of God. ¹⁰ But 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, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.^{(C1) 11} Whether, then, it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed.

Resurrection Essential to the Faith

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,^(C1) how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”?^{(C2) 13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.^{(F1) 15} Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses^(C1) about God, because we have testified^(C2) wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ^(C1) have also perished. ¹⁹ If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours

²⁰ But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits^(C1) of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death^(C1) came through a man,^(C2) the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man.^{(C3) 22} For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.^(C1)

²³ But each in his own order:^(C1) Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end,^(C1) when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,^(C2) when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power.^{(C3) 25} For he must reign^(C1) until he puts all his enemies under his feet.^{(C2) 26} The last enemy to be abolished is death.^{(C1) 27} For God has put everything under his feet.^(F1)(C1) Now when it says “everything” is put under him, it is obvious that he who puts everything under him is the exception. ²⁸ When everything is subject to Christ, then the Son^(C1) himself will also be subject to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.^(C2)

Resurrection Supported by Christian Experience

²⁹ Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead?^(F1) If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them?^{(F2) 30} Why are we in danger every hour? ³¹ I face death every day,^(C1) as surely as I may boast about you, brothers and sisters, in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus^(C1) as a mere man, what good did that do me?^(C2) If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.^{(F1)(C3) 33} Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ³⁴ Come to your senses^(F1)(C1) and stop sinning; for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.^(C2)

The Nature of the Resurrection Body

³⁵ But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come?” ³⁶ You fool! What you sow does not come to life^(C1) unless it dies. ³⁷ And as for what you sow—you are not sowing the body that will be, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he wants,^(C1) and to each of the seeds its own body. ³⁹ Not all flesh^(C1) is the same flesh; there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. ⁴⁰ There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor^(C1) of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones. ⁴¹ There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; in fact, one star differs from another star in splendor. ⁴² So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption;^{(C1) 43} sown in dishonor,^(C1) raised in glory;^(C2) sown in weakness, raised in power;^{(C3) 44} sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So it is written, The first man Adam became a living being;^(F1)(C1) the last Adam^(C2) became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual.

⁴⁷ The first man was from the earth, a man of dust;^(C1) the second man is^(F1) from heaven. ⁴⁸ Like the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; like the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven.^{(C1) 49} And just as we have borne the image^(C1) of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.^(C2)

Victorious Resurrection

⁵⁰ What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: Flesh^(C1) and blood^(C2) cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹ Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.^(C1) For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible body must be clothed^(C1) with incorruptibility,^(C2) and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. ⁵⁴ When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place:

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin^(C1) is the law.^{(C2) 57} But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory^(C1) through our Lord Jesus Christ!

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work,^(C1) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.