1 Corinthians (1 Co) 15
15
1Now, brothers, I must remind you of the Good News which I proclaimed to you, and which you received, and on which you have taken your stand, 2and by which you are being saved — provided you keep holding fast to the message I proclaimed to you. For if you don’t, your trust will have been in vain. 3For among the first things I passed on to you was what I also received, namely this: the Messiah died for our sins, in accordance with what the Tanakh says; 4and he was buried; and he was raised on the third day, in accordance with what the Tanakh says; 5and he was seen by Kefa, then by the Twelve; 6and afterwards he was seen by more than five hundred brothers at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7Later he was seen by Ya‘akov, then by all the emissaries; 8and last of all he was seen by me, even though I was born at the wrong time. 9For I am the least of all the emissaries, unfit to be called an emissary, because I persecuted the Messianic Community of God. 10But by God’s grace I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain; on the contrary, I have worked harder than all of them, although it was not I but the grace of God with me. 11Anyhow, whether I or they, this is what we proclaim, and this is what you believed.
12But if it has been proclaimed that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you are saying there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then the Messiah has not been raised; 14and if the Messiah has not been raised, then what we have proclaimed is in vain; also your trust is in vain; 15furthermore, we are shown up as false witnesses for God in having testified that God raised up the Messiah, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then the Messiah has not been raised either; 17and if the Messiah has not been raised, your trust is useless, and you are still in your sins. 18Also, if this is the case, those who died in union with the Messiah are lost. 19If it is only for this life that we have put our hope in the Messiah, we are more pitiable than anyone.
20But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. 21For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man. 22For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; 24then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power. 25For he has to rule until he puts all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be done away with will be death, 27for “He put everything in subjection under his feet.” But when it says that “everything” has been subjected, obviously the word does not include God, who is himself the one subjecting everything to the Messiah. 28Now when everything has been subjected to the Son, then he will subject himself to God, who subjected everything to him; so that God may be everything in everyone.
29Were it otherwise, what would the people accomplish who are immersed on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not actually raised, why are people immersed for them? 30For that matter, we ourselves — why do we keep facing danger hour by hour? 31Brothers, by the right to be proud which the Messiah Yeshua our Lord gives me, I solemnly tell you that I die every day. 32If my fighting with “wild beasts” in Ephesus was done merely on a human basis, what do I gain by it? If dead people are not raised, we might as well live by the saying, “Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 33Don’t be fooled. “Bad company ruins good character.” 34Come to your senses! Live righteously and stop sinning! There are some people who lack knowledge of God — I say this to your shame.
35But someone will ask, “In what manner are the dead raised? What sort of body do they have?” 36Stupid! When you sow a seed, it doesn’t come alive unless it first dies. 37Also, what you sow is not the body that will be, but a bare seed of, say, wheat or something else; 38but God gives it the body he intended for it; and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39Not all living matter is the same living matter; on the contrary, there is one kind for human beings, another kind of living matter for animals, another for birds and another for fish. 40Further, there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the beauty of heavenly bodies is one thing, while the beauty of earthly bodies is something else. 41The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon another, the stars yet another; indeed, each star has its own individual kind of beauty.
42So it is with the resurrection of the dead. When the body is “sown,” it decays; when it is raised, it cannot decay. 43When sown, it is without dignity; when raised, it will be beautiful. When sown, it is weak; when raised, it will be strong. 44When sown, it is an ordinary human body; when raised, it will be a body controlled by the Spirit. If there is an ordinary human body, there is also a body controlled by the Spirit. 45In fact, the Tanakh says so: Adam, the first man, became a living human being; but the last “Adam” has become a life-giving Spirit. 46Note, however, that the body from the Spirit did not come first, but the ordinary human one; the one from the Spirit comes afterwards. 47The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48People born of dust are like the man of dust, and people born from heaven are like the man from heaven; 49and just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, so also we will bear the image of the man from heaven.
50Let me say this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot share in the Kingdom of God, nor can something that decays share in what does not decay. 51Look, I will tell you a secret — not all of us will die! But we will all be changed! 52It will take but a moment, the blink of an eye, at the final shofar. For the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever, and we too will be changed. 53For this material which can decay must be clothed with imperishability, this which is mortal must be clothed with immortality. 54When what decays puts on imperishability and what is mortal puts on immortality, then this passage in the Tanakh will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
55“Death, where is your victory?
Death, where is your sting?”
56The sting of death is sin; and sin draws its power from the Torah; 57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah!
58So, my dear brothers, stand firm and immovable, always doing the Lord’s work as vigorously as you can, knowing that united with the Lord your efforts are not in vain.
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1 Corinthians (1 Co) 15: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible1 Corinthians 15
15
The Resurrection of Christ
1Now I would remind you, brothers,#15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58 of the gospel #[2 Tim. 2:8]; See ch. 3:6 I preached to you, which you received, #Rom. 5:2; [2 Cor. 1:24; 1 Pet. 5:12]in which you stand, 2and by which #ch. 1:18 you are being saved, if you #ch. 11:2; [Heb. 3:6, 14] hold fast to the word I preached to you—#Gal. 3:4unless you believed in vain.
3For #ch. 11:23; Gal. 1:12 I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died #John 1:29; Gal. 1:4; Heb. 5:1, 3; 1 Pet. 2:24 for our sins #Isa. 53; Dan. 9:26; Zech. 13:7; [1 Pet. 1:11]in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised #[Hos. 6:2; Matt. 12:40; John 2:22] on the third day #Ps. 16:10; Isa. 53:10; [Acts 2:25-32; 13:33-35; 26:22, 23]in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that #Luke 24:34 he appeared to Cephas, then #Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 26; Acts 10:41to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to #See Acts 12:17 James, then #Luke 24:50; Acts 1:3, 4to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to one untimely born, #See ch. 9:1he appeared also to me. 9For #2 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 3:7, 8; 1 Tim. 1:13-16 I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because #See Acts 8:3I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, #2 Cor. 11:23; 12:11; Col. 1:29 I worked harder than any of them, #[ch. 3:6; 2 Cor. 3:5; Phil. 2:13]; See Matt. 10:20though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, #[Acts 23:8; 2 Tim. 2:18]how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, #1 Thess. 4:14then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that #See Acts 2:24he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and #See Rom. 4:25you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who #1 Thess. 4:16; Rev. 14:13have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19If in Christ we have hope#15:19 Or we have hoped in this life only, #[ch. 4:9; 2 Tim. 3:12]we are of all people most to be pitied.
20But in fact #2 Tim. 2:8; 1 Pet. 1:3 Christ has been raised from the dead, #ver. 23; See Acts 26:23the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For as #See Rom. 5:12 by a man came death, #John 11:25; Rom. 6:23by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22For #[Rom. 5:14-18]as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then #See 1 Thess. 2:19 at his coming #ver. 52; 1 Thess. 4:16; See Luke 14:14those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he delivers #[Dan. 7:14, 27] the kingdom to God the Father after destroying #Eph. 1:21every rule and every authority and power. 25For he must reign #See Ps. 110:1until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be #2 Tim. 1:10; [Rev. 20:14; 21:4]destroyed is death. 27For #Eph. 1:22; Cited from Ps. 8:6; See Matt. 11:27; 28:18“God#15:27 Greek he has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28When #Phil. 3:21 all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that #[ch. 3:23; 11:3]God may be all in all.
29Otherwise, 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? 30Why are we #2 Cor. 11:26in danger every hour? 31I protest, brothers, by #1 Thess. 2:19 my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, #Luke 9:23; See Rom. 8:36I die every day! 32What do I gain if, humanly speaking, #[2 Cor. 1:8] I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, #Cited from Isa. 22:13; [Isa. 56:12; Luke 12:19]“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33#James 1:16 Do not be deceived: #[ch. 5:6]“Bad company ruins good morals.”#15:33 Probably from Menander’s comedy Thais 34#See Rom. 13:11 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For #1 Thess. 4:5 some have no knowledge of God. #ch. 6:5; [ch. 4:14]I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35But someone will ask, #[Ezek. 37:3]“How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36You foolish person! #John 12:24What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of 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.
42 #
Dan. 12:3; [Matt. 13:43] So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43It is sown in dishonor; #Phil. 3:21; Col. 3:4it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45Thus it is written, #Cited from Gen. 2:7 “The first man Adam became a living being”;#15:45 Greek a living soul #Rom. 5:14 the last Adam became a #John 5:21; [John 6:33, 39, 40, 54, 57; Rom. 8:2, 10]life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47#John 3:31 The first man was from the earth, #[Gen. 2:7; 3:19] a man of dust; #John 3:13, 31the second man is from heaven. 48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, #[Phil. 3:20]so also are those who are of heaven. 49Just #Gen. 5:3 as we have borne the image of the man of dust, #See Rom. 8:29we shall#15:49 Some manuscripts let us also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Mystery and Victory
50I tell you this, brothers: #See Matt. 16:17 flesh and blood #[John 3:3, 5]cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. #1 Thess. 4:15, 17 We shall not all sleep, #Phil. 3:21but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For #Matt. 24:31; 1 Thess. 4:16; [Isa. 27:13; Zech. 9:14] the trumpet will sound, and #John 5:25, 28; [Luke 20:36]the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and #[2 Cor. 5:2-4]this mortal body must put on immortality. 54When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
# Cited from Isa. 25:8; [Heb. 2:14, 15; Rev. 20:14; 21:4] “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 #
Hos. 13:14
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56The sting of death is sin, and #Rom. 4:15; 5:13; 7:5, 8, 13the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, #[Rom. 8:37; 1 John 5:4]who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 #
2 Pet. 3:14 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in #ch. 16:10; Jer. 48:10; John 6:28 the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord #[Gal. 6:9]; See ch. 3:8your labor is not in vain.
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