Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 15 - New International Reader's Version (2024)

Christ Rose From the Dead

15Brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you. You received it and have put your faith in it. 2Because you believed the good news, you are saved. But you must hold firmly to the message I preached to you. If you don’t, you have believed it for nothing.

3What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. 4He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. 5He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the 12 apostles. 6After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. 7He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles. 8Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn’t born at the right time.

9I am the least important of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God’s church. 10But because of God’s grace I am what I am. And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn’t do the work. God’s grace was with me. 11So this is what we preach, whether I or the other apostles who preached to you. And that is what you believed.

Believers Will Rise From the Dead

12We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead? 13If no one rises from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn’t mean anything. Your faith doesn’t mean anything either. 15More than that, we would be lying about God. We are witnesses that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised. 16If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn’t mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven. 18Those who have died believing in Christ are also lost. 19Do we have hope in Christ only for this life? Then people should pity us more than anyone else.

20But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise from the dead. 21Death came because of what a man did. Rising from the dead also comes because of what a man did. 22Because of Adam, all people die. So because of Christ, all will be made alive. 23But here is the order of events. Christ is the first of those who rise from the dead. When he comes back, those who belong to him will be raised. 24Then the end will come after Christ destroys all rule, authority and power. Then he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father. 25Christ must rule until he has put all his enemies under his control. 26The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27Scripture says that God “has put everything under his control.” (Psalm 8:6) It says that “everything” has been put under him. But it is clear that this does not include God himself. That’s because God put everything under Christ. 28When he has done that, the Son also will be under God’s rule. God put everything under the Son. In that way, God will be all in all.

29Suppose no one rises from the dead. Then what will people do who are baptized for the dead? Suppose the dead are not raised at all. Then why are people baptized for them? 30And why would we put ourselves in danger every hour? 31I face death every day. That’s the truth. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I take pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done for you through my work. 32Did I fight wild animals in Ephesus with nothing more than human hopes? Then what have I gotten for it? If the dead are not raised,

“Let us eat and drink,
because tomorrow we will die.” (Isaiah 22:13)

33Don’t let anyone fool you. “Bad companions make a good person bad.” 34You should come back to your senses and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know anything about God. I say this to make you ashamed.

The Body That Rises From the Dead

35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?” 36How foolish! What you plant doesn’t come to life unless it dies. 37When you plant something, it isn’t a completely grown plant that you put in the ground. You only plant a seed. Maybe it’s wheat or something else. 38But God gives the seed a body just as he has planned. And to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39Not all earthly creatures are the same. People have one kind of body. Animals have another. Birds have another kind. Fish have still another. 40There are also heavenly bodies as well as earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies have one kind of glory. Earthly bodies have another. 41The sun has one kind of glory. The moon has another kind. The stars have still another. And one star’s glory is different from that of another star.

42It will be like that with bodies that are raised from the dead. The body that is planted does not last forever. The body that is raised from the dead lasts forever. 43It is planted without honor. But it is raised in glory. It is planted in weakness. But it is raised in power. 44It is planted as an earthly body. But it is raised as a spiritual body.

Just as there is an earthly body, there is also a spiritual body. 45It is written, “The first man Adam became a living person.” (Genesis 2:7) The last Adam became a spirit that gives life. 46What is spiritual did not come first. What is earthly came first. What is spiritual came after that. 47The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. 48Those who belong to the earth are like the one who came from the earth. And those who are spiritual are like the heavenly man. 49We are like the earthly man. And we will be like the heavenly man.

50Brothers and sisters, here is what I’m telling you. Bodies made of flesh and blood can’t share in the kingdom of God. And what dies can’t share in what never dies. 51Listen! I am telling you a mystery. We will not all die. But we will all be changed. 52That will happen in a flash, as quickly as you can wink an eye. It will happen at the blast of the last trumpet. Then the dead will be raised to live forever. And we will be changed. 53Our natural bodies don’t last forever. They must be dressed with what does last forever. What dies must be dressed with what does not die. 54In fact, that is going to happen. What does not last will be dressed with what lasts forever. What dies will be dressed with what does not die. Then what is written will come true. It says, “Death has been swallowed up. It has lost the battle.” (Isaiah 25:8)

55“Death, where is the victory you thought you had?
Death, where is your sting?” (Hosea 13:14)

56The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law. 57But let us give thanks to God! He gives us the victory because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.

58My dear brothers and sisters, remain strong in the faith. Don’t let anything move you. Always give yourselves completely to the work of the Lord. Because you belong to the Lord, you know that your work is not worthless.

Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 15 - New International Reader's Version (2024)

FAQs

What is 1 Corinthians chapter 15 about? ›

It is the story of Christ crucified and risen, as well as a catalog of witnesses to the resurrection. Hundreds of people including, finally, Paul himself saw the risen Christ. After this historical review, Paul argues that Christ is “the first fruits of those who have died” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

What does 1 Corinthians 15 say about resurrection? ›

In these verses the Apostle Paul declares that Christ's Resurrection means that all shall rise again. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

What is the NIV version of 1 Corinthians 15/58? ›

NIV Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

What does the Bible say about the resurrection of the dead? ›

This will be "the hour when all who are in the tombs will hear [the Son of man's] voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment" (Jn 5:28-29).

What is the key message of 1 Corinthians 15? ›

1 Corinthians 15 is Paul's most extensive presentation of Christ's Parousia and our bodily resurrection as a result of Christ's future coming. That is because some of the Corinthians have rejected the notion of our bodily resurrection.

What is the central issue that Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 15? ›

We are talking, of course, about the resurrection, which is Paul's focus in 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 12 names the problem that the Apostle addresses—namely, that some of the Corinthians were saying that “there is no resurrection of the dead.” Exactly what form this denial took has been the subject of some debate.

Why did the Corinthians not believe in the resurrection? ›

Many of the difficulties in the Corinthian community can be traced to a fundamental theological misunderstanding of the import of Jesus' death and resurrection: the Corinthians believed that they had died and risen with Christ. Thus, they believed that they already enjoyed the full benefits of salvation.

Will we know each other in heaven? ›

One day those of us who know Christ Jesus our Lord will see His face, reflect His love, and know one another even as we ourselves are known. The basis of Paul's encouragement and comfort is that we'll be together with those we love and with the Lord forever in heaven.

How will our resurrected body be different from our earthly body? ›

Paul tells us in verse 42-44. He says that our current bodies are weak, perishable, unglorified, and natural. But in the resurrection state they will be powerful, imperishable, glorious, and spiritual. Our bodies will be powerful--they will not be subject to stress or fatigue or weakness.

What is the lesson of 1 Corinthians 15 58? ›

1 Corinthians 15:58 Encourages Us to Trust in the Promise of the Resurrection. This whole chapter is just filled with hope… With joy over the reality of our resurrection bodies. That when we die, when Jesus returns, he's going to resurrect our bodies to be like his body.

What is the prayer for 1 Corinthians 15/58? ›

I trust you, Lord, because I believe that my efforts for you are not in vain. May I always give myself fully to your work, knowing that anything else I might accomplish in this life will have no value in eternity. In the name of your son, my Savior and Lord, I pray. Amen.

What is the first letter of the Corinthians Chapter 15? ›

1Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, 2by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

What is the difference between the first and second resurrection? ›

“Two great resurrections await the inhabitants of the earth: one is the first resurrection, the resurrection of life, the resurrection of the just; the other is the second resurrection, the resurrection of damnation, the resurrection of the unjust. (John 5:28–29; Rev. 20; D. & C.

How many days after death is resurrection? ›

For Jesus and the apostles, the timing of his resurrection has strong theological implications. The three-day timeline matters to the biblical narrative because it is the special day on which God creates new life and activates his covenant with humanity.

Where does the soul go after death in the Bible verse? ›

Ecclesiastes 12:7 says tells us what happens when a person dies. It says, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.” In other words, when a person dies, his or her spirit goes back to God, the body returns to dust and the soul of that person no longer exist.

What does it mean to rent your heart and not your garments? ›

“Rend your hearts and not your garments” means that we must look inward to make changes before that which we do on the outside will be seen as a legitimate exercise to serve.

What is Corinthians chapter 1 verse 15? ›

15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. 15 At least no one can go around saying he was baptized in my name. 15 lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name. 15 so that no one can say you were baptized in my name.

What does it mean that the husband is sanctified by the wife? ›

As mentioned before, this sanctification does not mean that the unbelieving spouse (or their children) are automatically saved by virtue of marriage, but it does mean that God blesses that particular household in a very special way.

What does it mean to visit orphans and widows in their affliction? ›

Visiting orphans and widows is so much more than just taking a trip to another country to hand out some food to people you will never see again; visiting orphans and widows means to look after, to take care of, to provide for, with the implication of continuous responsibility.

References

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