1 Corinthians 15:19-58

19If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are 1of all people most to be pitied.

20But the fact is, Christ 2has been raised from the dead, the 3first fruits of those who 4are asleep. 21For since 5by a man death came, by a Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For 6as in Adam all die, so also in 7Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ 8the first fruits, after that 9those who are Christ’s at 10His coming, 24then comes the end, when He hands over 11the kingdom to our 12God and Father, when He has abolished 13all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign 14until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be 15abolished is death. 27For 16He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “17All things are put in subjection,” it is clear that 18this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him. 28When 19all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that 20God may be all in all.

29For otherwise, what will those do who are baptized 21for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized 22for them? 30Why are we also 23in danger every hour? 31I affirm, brothers and sisters, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that 24I die daily. 32If 25from human motives I 26fought with wild beasts at 27Ephesus, what good is it to me? If the dead are not raised, 28let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 3329Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 3430Sober up 31morally and stop sinning, for some have 32no knowledge of God. 33I say this to your shame.

35But 34someone will say, “How are 35the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 3636You fool! That which you 37sow 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 38something else. 38But God gives it a body just as He wished, and 39to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of mankind, another flesh of animals, 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, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

4240So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown 4142a perishable body, it is raised 4344an imperishable body; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in 45glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a 46natural body, it is raised a 47spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So also it is written: “The first 48man, Adam, became a living 49person.” The 50last Adam was a 51life-giving spirit. 46However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47The first man is 52from the earth, 5354earthy; the second Man is from heaven. 48As is the earthy one, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly One, 55so also are those who are heavenly. 49Just as we have 56borne the image of the earthy, 57we 58will also bear the image of the heavenly.

50Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that 59flesh and blood cannot 60inherit the kingdom of God; nor does 61the perishable inherit 6263the imperishable. 51Behold, I am telling you a 6465mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be 66changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for 67the trumpet will sound, and 68the dead will be raised 69imperishable, and 70we will be changed. 53For this 71perishable must put on 7273the imperishable, and this 74mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this 75perishable puts on 76the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “77Death has been swallowed up in victory. 5578Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” 56The sting of 79death is sin, and 80the power of sin is the Law; 57but 81thanks be to God, who gives us the 82victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

5883Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in 84the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.