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1 Corinthians 15

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The Gospel Foundation and Resurrection Witnesses 1–11

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.

The Certainty of Christ's Resurrection 12–19

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.

Christ, the Firstfruits of the Resurrection 20–28

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. ​

Arguments for the Resurrection 29–34

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.

The Nature of the Resurrection Body 35–50

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. ​

The Final Victory Over Death 51–58

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. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Corinthians 15

Verse 1

the gospel which I preached unto you — Euangelion, a good message; 'declare' is gnorizo, to make known, here a recalling of what the Corinthians already held. Paul received it 'by the revelation of Jesus Christ' (Gal 1:12). 'Wherein ye stand' matches 1 Pet 5:12, 'the true grace of God wherein ye stand'.

Verse 2

if ye keep in memory — Katecho, to hold fast; salvation here is tied to holding the word preached, as in Heb 3:6, 'if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end'. 'In vain' is eike, without effect: faith that lets go of the gospel's content would be empty.

Verse 3

according to the scriptures — 'Delivered' (paradidomi) and 'received' (paralambano) are words of handing on a trust. 'For our sins' echoes Gal 1:4, 'Who gave himself for our sins'. The Scriptures meant are such as Isa 53:12, 'he hath poured out his soul unto death', and 1 Pet 2:24 applies the bearing of sins 'on the tree'.

Verse 4

rose again the third day — 'Rose' is egeiro, in the perfect tense: raised, and remaining risen. 'The third day' answers Hos 6:2, 'in the third day he will raise us up'. Peter and Paul apply Ps 16:10 to Christ: 'he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption' (Acts 13:37).

Verse 5

seen of Cephas — Cephas is Aramaic for 'A stone', the name Christ gave Simon (John 1:42). 'Was seen' is optanomai, which recurs in vv.6–8 for each appearance. 'The twelve' is the apostles' title as a body; on the first Sunday evening they were gathered with the doors shut (John 20:19).

Verse 6

above five hundred brethren at once — Ephapax means upon one occasion. Paul adds that 'the greater part remain unto this present', so living witnesses could still be questioned. 'Fallen asleep' is koimao, the word for the death of believers, used again in vv.18 and 20.

Verse 8

born out of due time — Ektroma is a miscarriage, an untimely birth: Paul came to the apostleship after the others, by a sight of the risen Lord on the Damascus road (Acts 9:3–6). He rests his apostleship on that sight: 'have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?' (1 Cor 9:1).

Verse 10

by the grace of God I am what I am — Charis, grace, is named three times in this verse. The same man who 'persecuted the church of God' (v.9) 'laboured' (kopiao, toiled to weariness) more than all, yet gives the credit to grace, as in Phil 2:13, 'it is God which worketh in you'. 'In vain' is kenos, empty (as in vv.14, 58).

Verse 12

no resurrection of the dead — Anastasis, a standing up again. Paul argues from what Corinth already accepted: Christ 'be preached that he rose' (kerysso, proclaimed). Denial of the resurrection met Paul at Athens (Acts 17:32) and among the Sadducees (Acts 23:8); others held that it was 'past already' (2 Tim 2:18).

Verse 14

our preaching vain — Kerygma is the thing proclaimed; 'vain' is kenos, empty, hollow. If Christ is not risen, both the message and the faith that receives it have nothing in them. A different word, mataios, 'profitless', is used in v.17 for the faith.

Verse 17

ye are yet in your sins — Here 'vain' is mataios, profitless, a faith with no result. Christ 'was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification' (Rom 4:25): the resurrection is the proof that the death was accepted, so without it the sins would still stand charged against believers.

Verse 20

the firstfruits of them that slept — Aparche, the first part of the harvest, offered as the pledge of the rest. 'But now' (nyni) turns from the supposition of vv.12–19 to the fact. The same thought is in Col 1:18, 'the firstborn from the dead'; 'slept' is koimao, as in vv.6 and 18.

Verse 22

in Adam all die — The pattern of Rom 5:12, 'by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin'. 'Made alive' is zoopoieo, the verb behind 'quickened' in v.36. The 'all' of the second clause is bounded by v.23, 'they that are Christ's', and v.45 names the two heads: the first Adam and the last.

Verse 23

every man in his own order — Tagma is a rank or division, as of troops: the resurrection comes in sequence. First 'Christ the firstfruits', then 'they that are Christ's at his coming' (parousia, arrival or presence), and then, in v.24, 'the end'.

Verse 24

put down all rule and all authority and power — The three nouns are arche, exousia and dynamis. 'Put down' is katargeo, to render powerless, the same verb as 'destroyed' in v.26. The Son 'delivered up the kingdom' (paradidomi, hands over) to the Father, in the dominion of Dan 7:14, 27.

Verse 26

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death — Katargeo, rendered powerless, is the verb of v.24. Isaiah foretold it: 'He will swallow up death in victory' (Isa 25:8). Christ shared flesh and blood 'that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death' (Heb 2:14); death is cast into the lake of fire in Rev 20:14.

Verse 28

the Son also himself be subject — 'Subject' is hypotasso, which runs through vv.27–28. It speaks of the Son's mediatorial rule, handed back at the end (v.24), as 'the head of Christ is God' (1 Cor 11:3). 'God may be all in all' is close to Col 3:11, 'Christ is all, and in all'.

Verse 29

baptized for the dead — 'For' is hyper, on behalf of. Paul speaks of 'they', not 'we', and uses the practice only as an argument: it would be pointless without a resurrection. Faithful readers differ on what practice is meant. For baptism's link with death and rising, see Rom 6:3–4.

Verse 32

fought with beasts at Ephesus — Theriomacheo, to fight wild beasts. Whether this was literal or a figure for violent opponents, 'after the manner of men' marks it as human reckoning. 'Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die' takes up Isa 22:13, 'let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die'. Paul was in Ephesus in Acts 18:19.

Verse 33

evil communications corrupt good manners — Homilia is companionship or intercourse; 'manners' (ethos) are settled habits. 'Corrupt' is phtheiro, the verb from which phthora, 'corruption' (v.42), comes. The warning matches Prov 13:20, 'a companion of fools shall be destroyed', and is aimed at those in Corinth who denied the resurrection.

Verse 35

with what body do they come? — The objector asks two things: how the dead are raised, and what soma (body) they have. Ezekiel was asked the same: 'can these bones live?' (Ezek 37:3). Paul answers the first at v.36 and the second in vv.37–49; Phil 3:21 speaks of the body made 'like unto his glorious body'.

Verse 36

Thou fool — Aphron, without sense: the objector overlooks what he does every sowing. 'Quickened' is zoopoieo, as in v.22. Christ used the same figure: 'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit' (John 12:24).

Verse 42

sown in corruption — Burial is the sowing. Phthora, decay, is set against aphtharsia, incorruption; the pairing returns in v.50, and vv.53–54 use the related phthartos, 'corruptible', with aphtharsia. Creation itself awaits deliverance from 'the bondage of corruption' (Rom 8:21). Four contrasts follow in vv.42–44: corruption, dishonour, weakness, a natural body.

Verse 44

a spiritual body — Psychikos, 'natural', is the body animated by the soul (psyche); pneumatikos, 'spiritual', is the body governed by the Spirit. It is still a soma, a body, not a spirit without one. Verse 45 gives the two heads from whom the two kinds of body come.

Verse 45

a living soul — Taken from Gen 2:7, 'man became a living soul'. Adam received life; the last Adam gives it: 'quickening' is zoopoieo, the verb of vv.22 and 36. Christ says the same: 'as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will' (John 5:21).

Verse 50

flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God — 'Flesh and blood' names man in his mortal state, as in Matt 16:17, 'flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee'. 'Inherit' is kleronomeo. The second clause restates the first: 'corruption' (phthora) cannot inherit 'incorruption', so a change is needed (v.51).

Verse 51

I shew you a mystery — Mysterion is a secret now disclosed. 'Sleep' is koimao, to die; 'changed' is allasso, to make different. Believers alive at the Lord's coming will not die first but 'be caught up together with them in the clouds' (1 Thess 4:17), and the body is made like his (Phil 3:21).

Verse 52

at the last trump — Salpinx, the trumpet. Paul links it with Christ's coming: 'with the trump of God' (1 Thess 4:16) and 'a great sound of a trumpet' (Matt 24:31). 'A moment' is atomos, indivisible, and 'twinkling' is rhipe, a jerk of the eye: the change is instantaneous.

Verse 54

Death is swallowed up in victory — Quoted from Isa 25:8, 'He will swallow up death in victory'. 'Swallowed up' is katapino, to drink down. 'Put on' is enduo, to be clothed with, as in 2 Cor 5:4, 'that mortality might be swallowed up of life'. The change of v.53 is what brings the word to pass.

Verse 56

The sting of death is sin — Kentron, the goad or sting of v.55: death wounds because of sin. The law is sin's 'strength' (dynamis) because it makes transgression known: 'where no law is, there is no transgression' (Rom 4:15). Paul describes it as 'sin… working death in me by that which is good' (Rom 7:13).

Verse 58

stedfast, unmoveable — Hedraios means seated, settled; ametakinetos, not to be moved. 'Abounding' is perisseuo. 'Not in vain' is kenos, the word of v.14: if Christ's preaching were empty so would the labour be, but because he is risen, labour 'in the Lord' is not.