The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand;

By which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures:

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures:

And that he was seen by Cephas; and after that by the eleven.

Then he was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once: of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep.

After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles.

And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time.

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

For whether I, or they, so we preach, and so you have believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

Now if Christ be preached, that he arose again from the dead, how do some among you say, that there is no resurrection of the dead?

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen again.

And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we have given testimony against God, that he hath raised up Christ; whom he hath not raised up, if the dead rise not again.

For if the dead rise not again, neither is Christ risen again.

And if Christ be not risen again, your faith is vain, for you are yet in your sins.

Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

The Order of Resurrection

But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep:

For by a man came death, and by a man the resurrection of the dead.

And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.

But every one in his own order: the firstfruits Christ, then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming.

Afterwards the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have brought to nought all principality, and power, and virtue.

For he must reign, until he hath put all his enemies under his feet.

And the enemy death shall be destroyed last: For he hath put all things under his feet. And whereas he saith,

All things are put under him; undoubtedly, he is excepted, who put all things under him.

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then the Son also himself shall be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Otherwise what shall they do that are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not again at all? why are they then baptized for them?

Why also are we in danger every hour?

I die daily, I protest by your glory, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If (according to man) I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me, if the dead rise not again? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.

Be not seduced: Evil communications corrupt good manners.

Awake, ye just, and sin not. For some have not the knowledge of God, I speak it to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

But some man will say: How do the dead rise again? or with what manner of body shall they come?

Senseless man, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die first.

And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be; but bare grain, as of wheat, or of some of the rest.

But God giveth it a body as he will: and to every seed its proper body.

All flesh is not the same flesh: but one is the flesh of men, another of beasts, another of birds, another of fishes.

And there are bodies celestial, and bodies terrestrial: but, one is the glory of the celestial, and another of the terrestrial.

One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, and another the glory of the stars. For star differeth from star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption.

It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory. It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power.

It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body. If there be a natural body, there is also a spiritual body, as it is written:

The first man Adam was made into a living soul; the last Adam into a quickening spirit.

Yet that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; afterwards that which is spiritual.

The first man was of the earth, earthly: the second man, from heaven, heavenly.

Such as is the earthly, such also are the earthly: and such as is the heavenly, such also are they that are heavenly.

Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly.

Where, O Death, Is Your Victory?

(Hosea 13:9–14)

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God: neither shall corruption possess incorruption.

Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall all indeed rise again: but we shall not all be changed.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible: and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality.

And when this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?

Now the sting of death is sin: and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast and unmoveable; always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand,

by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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,

and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Whether then it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.

If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith also is in vain.

Yes, we are also found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up if it is true that the dead are not raised.

For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised.

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.

Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.

The Order of Resurrection

But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruit of those who are asleep.

For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man.

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s at his coming.

Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father, when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.”(a) But when he says, “All things are put in subjection”, it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him.

When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.

Or else what will they do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead aren’t raised at all, why then are they baptized for the dead?

Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?

I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”(b)

Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”

Wake up righteously and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

But someone will say, “How are the dead raised?” and, “With what kind of body do they come?”

You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies.

That which you sow, you don’t sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind.

But God gives it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own.

All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.

There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial.

There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable.

It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body.

So also it is written, “The first man Adam became a living soul.” (c) The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

However, that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual.

The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven.

As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’s(d) also bear the image of the heavenly.

Where, O Death, Is Your Victory?

(Hosea 13:9–14)

Now I say this, brothers,(e) that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable.

Behold,(f) I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”(g)

“Death, where is your sting? Hades,(h) where is your victory?”(i)

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Footnotes

(a)15:27 ℘ Psalms 8:6

(b)15:32 ℘ Isaiah 22:13

(d)15:49 NU, TR read “we will” instead of “let’s”

(e)15:50 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(f)15:51 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(g)15:54 ℘ Isaiah 25:8

(h)15:55 or, Hell

(i)15:55 ℘ See Hosea 13:14