Letters to the Churches

but God giveth 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, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes.

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

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.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

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

Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual.

The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven.

As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,

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.

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

But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have 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?

The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:

but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye.

Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.

And when I arrive, whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem:

and if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me.