1 Corinthians 15:20-58

20But now Christ 1has been raised from the dead, the 2first fruits of those who 3are asleep. 21For since 4by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For 5as in Adam all die, so also in 6Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ 7the first fruits, after that 8those who are Christ’s at 9His coming, 24then comes the end, when He hands over 10the kingdom to the 11God and Father, when He has abolished 12all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign 13until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be 14abolished is death. 27For 15He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “16All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28When 17all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that 18God may be all in all.

29Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? 30Why are we also 19in danger every hour? 31I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, 20I die daily. 32If 21from human motives I 22fought with wild beasts at 23Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, 24let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 3325Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 3426Become sober-minded 27as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have 28no knowledge of God. 29I speak this to your shame.

35But 30someone will say, “How are 31the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 3632You fool! That which you 33sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of 34something else. 38But God gives it a body just as He wished, and 35to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is 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.

4236So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown 3738a perishable body, it is raised 3940an imperishable body; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in 41glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a 42natural body, it is raised a 43spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So also it is written, “The first 44man, Adam, became a living soul.” The 45last Adam became a 46life-giving spirit. 46However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47The first man is 47from the earth, 4849earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, 50so also are those who are heavenly. 49Just as we have 51borne the image of the earthy, 52we 53will also bear the image of the heavenly.

50Now I say this, brethren, that 54flesh and blood cannot 55inherit the kingdom of God; nor does 56the perishable inherit 5758the imperishable. 51Behold, I tell you a 59mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be 60changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for 61the trumpet will sound, and 62the dead will be raised 63imperishable, and 64we will be changed. 53For this 65perishable must put on 6667the imperishable, and this 68mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this 69perishable will have put on 70the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “71Death is swallowed up in victory. 5572O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56The sting of 73death is sin, and 74the power of sin is the law; 57but 75thanks be to God, who gives us the 76victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

5877Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in 78the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.