1 Corinthians 15
The gospel preached by Paul is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, as witnessed by many, including the apostles and Paul himself. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then the preaching of the gospel and the faith of the believers would be in vain. However, Christ has risen, and as the first-fruits of those who sleep, he has paved the way for the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection will occur in a specific order, with Christ being the first, followed by those who are his, and then the end will come when all things will be subjected to God. The resurrected body will be different from the earthly body, being spiritual and incorruptible, and will be transformed in a moment at the sound of the last trumpet.
And so I make known to you, brothers, the Gospel that I preached to you, which you also received, and on which you standBy the Gospel, too, you are being saved, if you hold to the understanding that I preached to you, lest you believe in vainFor I handed on to you, first of all, what I also received: that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scripturesand that he was buried; and that he rose again on the third day, according to the Scripturesand that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by the elevenNext he was seen by more than five hundred brothers at one time, many of whom remain, even to the present time, although some have fallen asleepNext, he was seen by James, then by all the ApostlesAnd last of all, he was seen also by me, as if I were someone born at the wrong timeFor I am the least of the Apostles. I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of GodBut, by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace in me has not been empty, since I have labored more abundantly than all of them. Yet it is not I, but the grace of God within meFor whether it is I or they: so we preach, and so you have believedNow if Christ is preached, that he rose again from the dead, how is it that some among you say that there is no resurrection of the deadFor if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risenAnd if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is useless, and your faith is also uselessThen, too, we would be found to be false witnesses of God, because we would have given testimony against God, saying that he had raised up Christ, when he had not raised him up, if, indeed, the dead do not rise againFor if the dead do not rise again, then neither has Christ risen againBut if Christ has not risen, then your faith is vain; for you would still be in your sinsThen, too, those who have fallen asleep in Christ would have perishedIf we have hope in Christ for this life only, then we are more miserable than all menBut now Christ has risen again from the dead, as the first-fruits of those who sleepFor certainly, death came through a man. And so, the resurrection of the dead came through a maAnd just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be brought to lifebut each one in his proper order: Christ, as the first-fruits, and next, those who are of Christ, who have believed in his adventAfterwards is the end, when he will have handed over the kingdom to God the Father, when he will have emptied all principality, and authority, and powerFor it is necessary for him to reign, until he has set all his enemies under his feetLastly, the enemy called death shall be destroyed. For he has subjected all things under his feet. And although he says"All things have been subjected to him," without doubt he does not include the One who has subjected all things to himAnd when all things will have been subjected to him, then even the Son himself will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in allOtherwise, what will those who are being baptized for the dead do, if the dead do not rise again at all? Why then are they being baptized for themWhy also do we endure trials every hourDaily I die, by means of your boasting, brothers: you whom I have in Christ Jesus our LordIf, according to man, I fought with the beasts at Ephesus, how would that benefit me, if the dead do not rise again? "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.Do not be led astray. Evil communication corrupts good moralsBe vigilant, you just ones, and do not be willing to sin. For certain persons have an ignorance of God. I say this to you with respectBut someone may say, "How do the dead rise again?" or, "What type of body do they return with?How foolish! What you sow cannot be brought back to life, unless it first diesAnd what you sow is not the body that will be in the future, but a bare grain, such as of wheat, or of some other grainFor God gives it a body according to his will, and according to each seed’s proper bodyNot all flesh is the same flesh. But one is indeed of men, another truly is of beasts, another is of birds, and another is of fishAlso, there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But while the one, certainly, has the glory of heaven, the other has the glory of earthOne has the brightness of the sun, another the brightness of the moon, and another the brightness of the stars. For even star differs from star in brightnessSo it is also with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown in corruption shall rise to incorruptionWhat is sown in dishonor shall rise to glory. What is sown in weakness shall rise to powerWhat is sown with an animal body shall rise with a spiritual body. If there is an animal body, there is also a spiritual one.Just as it was written that the first man, Adam, was made with a living soul, so shall the last Adam be made with a spirit brought back to lifeSo what is, at first, not spiritual, but animal, next becomes spiritualThe first man, being earthly, was of the earth; the second man, being heavenly, will be of heavenSuch things as are like the earth are earthly; and such things as are like the heavens are heavenlyAnd so, just as we have carried the image of what is earthly, let us also carry the image of what is heavenlyNow I say this, brothers, because flesh and blood is not able to possess the kingdom of God; neither will what is corrupt possess what is incorruptBehold, I tell you a mystery. Certainly, we shall all rise again, but we shall not all be transformedin a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise up, incorruptible. And we shall be transformedThus, it is necessary for this corruptibility to be clothed with incorruptibility, and for this mortality to be clothed with immortalityAnd when this mortality has been clothed with immortality, then the word that was written shall occur: "Death is swallowed up in victory."O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the lawBut thanks be to God, who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus ChristAnd so, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and unmovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not useless in the Lord
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