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1 Corinthians 15 · Berean Standard Bible

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¹Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm. ²By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. ³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve. ⁶After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ⁸And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. ¹¹Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. ¹²But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. ¹⁵In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men. ²⁰But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²²For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. ²⁴Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. ²⁵For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. ²⁶The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him. ²⁸And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all. ²⁹If these things are not so, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? ³⁰And why do we endanger ourselves every hour? ³¹I face death every day, brothers, as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³²If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” ³³Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” ³⁴Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame. ³⁵But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” ³⁶You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else. ³⁸But God gives it a body as He has designed, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body. ³⁹Not all flesh is the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another, and fish another. ⁴⁰There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the splendor of the heavenly bodies is of one degree, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is of another. ⁴¹The sun has one degree of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. ⁴²So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. ⁴³It is sown in dishonor; it 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. ⁴⁵So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. ⁴⁸As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man. ⁵⁰Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵²in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” ⁵⁵“Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! ⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Berean Standard Bible · public domain. More versions and languages in the Reading Plan.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15

The Resurrection of Christ and Believers

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Objective

Paul provides a theological cornerstone of the Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ and its implications for believers. He defends the reality of the resurrection, explains its significance for salvation, and assures believers of their future resurrection, offering hope and victory over death.

Detailed Analysis

Event Description

Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel he preached, which they received and by which they are saved. He emphasizes that Christ's resurrection is central to the gospel message. He recounts the eyewitness testimonies of the risen Christ, including Peter, the apostles, and himself, underscoring the historical reality of the resurrection.

Central Themes

The Core of the Gospel: Christ's death, burial, and resurrection are the foundation of the Christian faith.

The Evidence of the Resurrection: Eyewitness accounts validate the truth of Christ's resurrection.

Cultural & Historical Context

Eyewitness Testimonies: In a legal context, multiple witnesses strengthened the credibility of an event, making Paul's list significant. Cross-References: Luke 24:39-43 records Jesus appearing to His disciples, proving He had risen bodily.

Key Verse

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Vivid Artistic Descriptions

The Gospel and the Resurrection of Christ

A vibrant sunrise breaking through a dark tomb, with the stone rolled away and the risen Christ standing triumphant, surrounded by glowing witnesses.

The Nature of the Resurrection Body

A seed planted in the ground transforms into a radiant tree, symbolizing the resurrection body's transformation from mortal to glorious.

Victory over Death

A warrior stands on a battlefield strewn with the remnants of chains and shadows labeled "Death" and "Sin," holding a banner inscribed with "Victory in Christ."

Song

O Death, Where Is Your Sting?

Verse 1

From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky, Jesus has risen, and death's power will die. Firstfruits of life, His victory won, The hope of glory in God's risen Son.

Verse 2

From weakness to glory, from dust to the throne, Our bodies made new, as Christ has shown. The seed that was sown will rise and bear, Eternal splendor beyond compare.

Chorus

O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? For Christ has risen, and we will rise, Eternal life in the twinkling of an eye.

Bridge

Death defeated, sin erased, Our Savior reigns in endless grace. We'll sing forever, His praises ring, For death has lost its bitter sting.

Outro

Stand firm in His promise, let hope remain, Our labor in Christ is never in vain.

Practical Application

Personal Life

Reflect on the hope of the resurrection and let it inspire confidence and courage in the face of trials and loss.

Share the gospel boldly, knowing it is rooted in the power of the resurrection.

Community & Society

Encourage one another with the promise of resurrection, especially in times of grief or discouragement.

Promote unity in the church, focusing on the shared hope of eternal life.

Global Perspective

Support ministries that proclaim the resurrection as the foundation of Christian hope.

Pray for believers around the world who face persecution, that they may remain steadfast in the hope of Christ's victory over death.

Conclusion

1 Corinthians 15 proclaims the resurrection of Christ as the cornerstone of Christian faith and the assurance of future resurrection for all believers. Paul offers a vision of victory over sin and death, urging believers to stand firm in their faith and live with eternal hope. The chapter concludes with a triumphant call to persevere, knowing that in the Lord, our labor is never in vain.