“1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached
unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which
also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless
ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how 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 After that, he was seen of above five hundred
brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but
some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all
the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born
out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that 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 bestowed]
upon 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
[it were] I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.”
“12 Now 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 be
no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ
be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also
vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have
testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so
be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not
Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye
are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in
Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we
are of all men most miserable.”
“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. 22 For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own
order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his
coming. 24 Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the
kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule
and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all
enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is]
death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith
all things are put under [him, it is] manifest that he is excepted,
which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be
subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Else what
shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at
all? why are they then baptized for the dead? 30 And why stand we in
jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in
Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I have
fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise
not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. 33 Be not deceived:
evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and
sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak [this] to your
shame.”
“35 But some [man] will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what
body do they come? 36 [Thou] fool, that which thou sowest is not
quickened, except it die: 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not
that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of
some other [grain]: 38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him,
and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh [is] not the same flesh:
but [there is] one [kind of] flesh of men, another flesh of beasts,
another of fishes, [and] another of birds. 40 [There are] also celestial
bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial [is] one,
and the [glory] of the terrestrial [is] another. 41 [There is] one glory
of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the
stars: for [one] star differeth from [another] 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 a
natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body,
and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man
Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening
spirit. 46 Howbeit that [was] not first which is spiritual, but that
which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first
man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven.
48 As [is] the earthy, such [are] they also that are earthy: and as [is]
the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have
borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the
heavenly. 50 Now 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 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 this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality. 54 So when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that
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, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain
in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-58 AV)
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