1 Corinthians 15 - Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Resurrection Essential to the Gospel

15 Now brothers, I want to clarify^[a] for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand^(A) on it. ² You are also saved by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you—unless you believed for no purpose.^{[b](B) 3} For I passed on to you^(C) as most important what I also received:

that Christ died^(D) for our sins
according to the Scriptures,^(E)
4 that He was buried,^(F)
that He was raised on the third day^(G)
according to the Scriptures,^(H)
5 and that He appeared to Cephas,^(I)
then to the Twelve.^(J)
6 Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time;^(K)
most of them are still alive,
but some have fallen asleep.
⁷ Then He appeared to James,^(L)
then to all the apostles.^(M)
8 Last of all, as to one abnormally born,^[c](N)
He also appeared to me.^(O)

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles,^(P) unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(Q) the church of God. ¹⁰ But by God’s grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective. However, I worked more than any of them, yet not I, but God’s grace that was with me.^{(R) 11} Therefore, whether 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,^(S) how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”?^{(T) 13} But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without foundation, and so is your faith.^{[d] 15} In addition, we are found to be false witnesses^(U) about God, because we have testified^(V) 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, Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ^(W) 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 now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits^(X) of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death^(Y) came through a man,^(Z) the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man.^{(AA) 22} For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.^{(AB) 23} But each in his own order:^(AC) Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end,^(AD) when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father,^(AE) when He abolishes all rule and all authority and power.^{(AF) 25} For He must reign^(AG) until He puts all His enemies under His feet.^{(AH) 26} The last enemy to be abolished is death.^{(AI) 27} For God has put everything under His feet.^(AJ)[e] But when it says “everything” is put under Him, it is obvious that He who puts everything under Him is the exception. ²⁸ And when everything is subject to Christ, then the Son^(AK) Himself will also be subject to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all.^(AL)

Resurrection Supported by Christian Experience

²⁹ Otherwise what will they do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptized for them?^{[f] 30} Why are we in danger every hour? ³¹ I affirm by the pride in you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord: I die every day!^{(AM) 32} If I fought wild animals in Ephesus^(AN) with only human hope,^[g] what good did that do me?^[h](AO) If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.^{(AP)[i] 33} Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”^{[j] 34} Come to your senses^[k](AQ) and stop sinning, for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame.^(AR)

The Nature of the Resurrection Body

³⁵ But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come?” ³⁶ Foolish one! What you sow does not come to life^(AS) unless it dies. ³⁷ And as for what you sow—you are not sowing the future body, but only a seed,^[l] perhaps of wheat or another grain. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as He wants,^(AT) and to each of the seeds its own body. ³⁹ Not all flesh^(AU) 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^(AV) 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; for one star differs from another star in splendor. ⁴² So it is with the resurrection of the dead:

Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption;^(AW)
43 sown in dishonor,^(AX) raised in glory;^(AY)
sown in weakness, raised in power;^(AZ)
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;^(BA)[m] the last Adam^(BB) 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
and made of dust;^(BC)
the second man is^[n] from heaven.
⁴⁸ Like the man made of dust,
so are those who are made of dust;
like the heavenly man,
so are those who are heavenly.^(BD)
49 And just as we have borne
the image^(BE) of the man made of dust,
we will also bear
the image of the heavenly man.^(BF)

Victorious Resurrection

⁵⁰ Brothers, I tell you this: Flesh^(BG) and blood^(BH) cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption cannot 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 blink of an eye,
at the last trumpet.^(BI)
For the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we will be changed.
⁵³ For this corruptible must be clothed^(BJ)
with incorruptibility,^(BK)
and this mortal must be clothed
with immortality.
⁵⁴ When this corruptible is clothed
with incorruptibility,
and this mortal is clothed
with immortality,
then the saying that is written will take place:
Death has been swallowed up^(BL) in victory.^(BM)[o]
55 Death, where is your victory?
Death, where is your sting?^(BN)[p]
56 Now the sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin^(BO) is the law.^(BP)
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory^(BQ)
through our Lord Jesus Christ!

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work,^(BR) knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 15:1 Or I make known
2. 1 Corinthians 15:2 Or believed without careful thought, or believed in vain
3. 1 Corinthians 15:8 Or one whose birth was unusual, He
4. 1 Corinthians 15:14 Or proclamation is useless, and your faith also is useless, or proclamation is empty, and your faith also is empty
5. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Ps 8:6
6. 1 Corinthians 15:29 Other mss read for the dead
7. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Lit Ephesus according to man
8. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Lit what to me the profit?
9. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Is 22:13
10. 1 Corinthians 15:33 A quotation from the poet Menander, Thais, 218
11. 1 Corinthians 15:34 Lit Sober up righteously
12. 1 Corinthians 15:37 Lit but a naked seed
13. 1 Corinthians 15:45 Gn 2:7
14. 1 Corinthians 15:47 Other mss add the Lord
15. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Is 25:8
16. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hs 13:14

Cross references

1. 15:1 : Pr 24:16
2. 15:2 : Gl 4:11; Heb 6:8
3. 15:3 : Jd 3
4. 15:3 : 1Co 8:11
5. 15:3 : Mt 26:54; 1Pt 1:20
6. 15:4 : Mt 27:59-60; Mk 15:46; Lk 23:53; Jn 19:41-42
7. 15:4 : 1Th 4:14
8. 15:4 : Ps 16:10; Is 53:10; Hs 6:2; Mt 12:40; Jn 2:22; Ac 2:25-32; 13:33-35; 26:22-23
9. 15:5 : Lk 24:34
10. 15:5 : Mk 16:14; Lk 24:36; Jn 20:19, 26; Ac 10:41
11. 15:6 : Mt 28:10-20
12. 15:7 : Jms 1:1
13. 15:7 : Ac 1:3-11
14. 15:8 : 1Tm 1:13-16
15. 15:8 : Ac 9:1-8
16. 15:9 : Eph 3:8; 1Tm 1:16-17
17. 15:9 : Php 3:6
18. 15:10 : 2Co 3:5; Php 2:13; Col 1:29
19. 15:12 : Mt 17:9
20. 15:12 : Mt 22:23; Mk 12:18; Lk 20:27; Ac 23:8; 2Tm 2:18
21. 15:15 : Mt 26:60
22. 15:15 : Jn 15:26
23. 15:18 : 1Th 4:16; 1Pt 5:14
24. 15:20 : Ex 23:19; Lv 2:12; Rm 8:23; Col 1:18
25. 15:21 : Mt 10:21; Jn 8:51; Php 3:10
26. 15:21 : Gn 3:1-7; Rm 5:12-14
27. 15:21 : Mt 28:5-6; Mk 16:6; Lk 24:5-8, 34; Jn 11:25; 20:9, 15-18
28. 15:22 : Rm 14:9
29. 15:23 : 1Th 4:17
30. 15:24 : Mt 24:6; Mk 13:7
31. 15:24 : Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42; Eph 5:20
32. 15:24 : Ac 8:10; Eph 1:21; 1Pt 3:22
33. 15:25 : Lk 1:33; Rv 11:15
34. 15:25 : Ps 110:1; Mt 22:44; Eph 1:22
35. 15:26 : 2Co 5:4
36. 15:27 : Ps 8:6
37. 15:28 : Jn 5:19; Heb 1:2
38. 15:28 : Ps 104:24; Eph 1:23
39. 15:31 : Rm 8:36
40. 15:32 : Eph 1:1
41. 15:32 : 1Th 2:19
42. 15:32 : Is 22:13
43. 15:34 : Ti 2:12
44. 15:34 : 1Co 4:14
45. 15:36 : Jn 12:24
46. 15:38 : Ps 143:10; Pr 16:9; Jn 5:30; Gl 1:4; Eph 1:9; 1Jn 2:17
47. 15:39 : Php 3:3
48. 15:40 : Lk 9:31-32; Ac 22:11
49. 15:42 : Rm 2:7; Eph 6:24; 2Tm 1:10
50. 15:43 : 2Co 6:8
51. 15:43 : 1Pt 5:4
52. 15:43 : Mk 5:30; Lk 1:35; 6:19; Ac 19:11; 2Co 13:4; Rv 11:17
53. 15:45 : Gn 2:7
54. 15:45 : Rm 8:2
55. 15:47 : Gn 2:7; 3:19; Ps 90:3
56. 15:48 : Php 3:20-21
57. 15:49 : Gn 1:27
58. 15:49 : 1Jn 3:2
59. 15:50 : Php 3:3
60. 15:50 : Mt 16:17
61. 15:52 : Mt 24:31; 1Pt 1:5
62. 15:53 : Pr 31:25
63. 15:53 : 1Pt 1:18
64. 15:54 : Mt 23:24
65. 15:54 : Is 25:8
66. 15:55 : Hs 13:14
67. 15:56 : Rm 4:15
68. 15:56 : Gl 5:4
69. 15:57 : 1Jn 5:5
70. 15:58 : Mk 14:6; Gl 3:10; Jms 2:14-26