NOW I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I have preached
unto you, and which ye have received, in which also ye have stood fast;
(2)by which also ye are saved; if ye cleave to that word I have
preached to you, except haply ye have believed in vain. (3)For I
delivered to you among the first things that which I also had received,
that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures; (4)and that
he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures: (5)and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
(6)afterwards he appeared before five hundred brethren at once; of whom
the greater number remain alive unto this hour, but some also are gone
to rest. (7)Afterwards he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
(8)And last of all he was seen also by me, who am but as an abortion.
(9)For I am the least of the apostles, who am not meet to be called an
apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (10)But by the grace
of God I am what I am: and his grace which was given to me was not in
vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the
grace of God which was with me. (11)Therefore whether I or they, so we
preach, and so ye believed.
(12)But if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some
among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead? (13)But if there
is no resurrection of the dead, neither is Christ risen: (14)and if
Christ be not risen, vain indeed is our preaching, and vain also your
faith. (15)Yea, and we also are found false witnesses for God; because
we have testified on the behalf of God, that he raised up Christ: whom
he raised not up, if indeed the dead are not raised. (16)For if the
dead are not raised, neither is Christ risen: (17)and if Christ be not
risen, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (18)Then also they
who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (19)If in this life
only we have hope in Christ, we are more miserable than all other men.
(20)But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruit
of those who have fallen asleep. (21)For since by man came death, by
man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22)For as in Adam all are
dead, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (23)But every one in
his own rank: Christ the first-fruit; afterwards those that are
Christ's at his appearing. (24)Then cometh the end, when he shall
deliver up the kingdom to God, and the Father; when he shall have
destroyed every dominion and every authority and power. (25)For he must
reign, until he hath put all enemies under his feet. (26)The last enemy
shall be destroyed, death. (27)For he hath put all things under his
feet. But when he saith, that all things are put under him, it is
evident that there is an exception of him, who subjected all things to
him. (28)But when he shall have put all things under him, then also the
Son himself shall be subjected to him who put all things under him,
that God may be all in all. (29)Else what will they do who are
baptised? for the dead, if wholly dead they rise no more. Why are they
then baptised for the dead? (30)and why do we also expose ourselves to
danger every hour? (31)I solemnly declare by all the joy over you which
I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. (32)If after the manner
of men I have fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, of what advantage
would it be to me, if the dead did not rise again? shall we eat and
drink; because to-morrow we die? (33)Be not deceived: evil
conversations corrupt good manners. (34)Awake as the righteous, and sin
not; for some have an ignorance of God: I speak this to your shame.
(35)But will any man say, How are the dead raised up? and with what
body do they come? (36)Thou fool! what thou sowest is not quickened
except it die: (37)and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body
which shall be afterwards, but the bare grain, perhaps of wheat, or of
some of the other seeds: (38)but God giveth it a body as he pleaseth,
and to each of the seeds its peculiar body.
(39)All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of
men, and another flesh of cattle, and another of fishes, and another of
birds. (40)Also there are celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but
the glory of the celestial is one, and that of the terrestrial another.
(41)There is one glory of the sun; and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars: for star differeth from star in glory.
(42)So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption;
it is raised in incorruption: (43)it is sown in dishonour; it is raised
in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: (44)it is sown
an animal body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is an animal body,
and there is a spiritual body. (45)And so it is written, There was a
first man Adam a living soul; a last Adam a quickening spirit. (46)But
that which is spiritual was not first, but that which is animal; and
afterward that which is spiritual. (47)The first man was of the earth,
earthly; the second man was the Lord from heaven. (48)As is the
earthly, so are they also that are earthly: and as is the heavenly,
such also are they that are heavenly. (49)And as we have borne the
image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
(50)But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God: neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
(51)Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not indeed all sleep, but we
shall all be changed, (52)in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53)For that which is
corruptible must put on incorruption, and that which is mortal must put
on immortality. (54)So when that which is corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and that which is mortal shall have put on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying which is written, Death is swallowed
up in victory. (55)O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory? (56)The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the
law. (57)But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ. (58)Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be stedfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your
labour is not in vain in the Lord.