1 Corinthians 15:29

1 Corinthians 15:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
• New International Version (NIV)Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Otherwise, 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?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

Context of 1 Corinthians 15:29

27For He (the Father) has put all things in subjection under His (Christ’s) feet. But when He says, “All things have been put in subjection [under Christ],” it is clear that He (the Father) who put all things in subjection to Him (Christ) is excepted [since the Father is not in subjection to His own Son]. 28However, when all things are subjected to Him (Christ), then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One (the Father) who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [manifesting His glory without any opposition, the supreme indwelling and controlling factor of life]. Otherwise, what will those do who are being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people even baptized for them? 30[For that matter] why are we [running such risks and putting ourselves] in danger [nearly] every hour [if there is no resurrection]? 31I assure you, believers, by the pride which I have in you in [your union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily [I face death and die to self].

1 Corinthians 15:29 word by word

Ἐπεὶ τί ποιήσουσιν οἱ βαπτιζόμενοι ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν; εἰ ὅλως νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται· τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Elseἐπείepei · sinceG1893
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• shall they doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• whichὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• are baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• riseἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
• notοὐou · noG3756
• at allὅλωςholōs · at allG3654
• thenκαίkai · andG2532

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 15:29

• 1 Corinthians 15:16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised, either;
• Romans 6:3Or are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
• Matthew 20:22But Jesus replied, “You do not realize what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup [of suffering] that I am about to drink?” They answered, “We are able.”

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead - This is certainly the most difficult verse in the New Testament; for, notwithstanding the greatest and wisest men have labored to explain it, there are to this day nearly as many different interpretations of it as there are interpreters. I shall not employ my time, nor that of my reader, with a vast number of discordant and conflicting opinions; I shall make a few remarks: The doctrine of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29Else what shall they do … - The apostle here resumes the argument for the resurrection which was interrupted at 1 Corinthians 15:19. He goes on to state further consequences which must follow from the denial of this doctrine, and thence infers that the doctrine must be true. There is, perhaps, no passage of the New Testament in respect to which there has been a greater variety of interpretation than this; and the views of expositors now by no means…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-34Verses 20-34 All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever. There will be an order in the resurrection. Christ himself has been the first-fruits; at his coming, his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29Some first-century Christians practiced baptism by proxy for dead unbelievers they wanted to save. Paul does not endorse or condemn this practice; he uses it as evidence for belief in resurrection. Early Christian literature does not mention this practice elsewhere.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. Else--if there be no resurrection. what shall they do?--How wretched is their lot! they ... which are baptized for the dead--third person; a class distinct from that in which the apostle places himself, "we" (1Co 15:30); first person. Alford thinks there is an allusion to a practice at Corinth of baptizing a living person in behalf of a friend who died unbaptized; thus Paul, without giving the least sanction to the practice, uses an ad hominem…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 15:29

• Baptism
• Body
• Immortality
• Resurrection
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Adam
• Awake
• Baptism for the dead
• Corrupt
• Corruptible
• Die
• Differ
• Flesh
• Immortality
• Incorruption

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings