International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1Now I'm making known to you, brothers, the gospel that I proclaimed to you, which you accepted, on which you have taken your stand,

1Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

2and by which you are also being saved if you hold firmly to the message I proclaimed to you—unless, of course, your faith was worthless.

2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3For I passed on to you the most important points that I received: The Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

4he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures—and is still alive!—

4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

5and he was seen by Cephas, and then by the Twelve.

5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

6After that, he was seen by more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

7Next he was seen by James, then by all the apostles,

7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

8and finally he was seen by me, as though I were born abnormally late.

8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

9For I am the least of the apostles and not even fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted God's church.

9For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10But by God's grace I am what I am, and his grace shown to me was not wasted. Instead, I worked harder than all the others—not I, of course, but God's grace that was with me.

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

11So, whether it was I or the others, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

12Now if we preach that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, how can some of you keep claiming there is no resurrection of the dead?

12Now if Christ is proclaimed as 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 the Messiah has not been raised,

13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

14and if the Messiah has not been raised, then our message means nothing and your faith means nothing.

14And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

15In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God because we testified on God's behalf that he raised the Messiah —whom he did not raise if in fact it is true that the dead are not raised.

15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

16For if the dead are not raised, then the Messiah has not been raised,

16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

17and if the Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still imprisoned by your sins.

17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

18Yes, even those who have died believing in the Messiah are lost.

18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19If we have set our hopes on the Messiah in this life only, we deserve more pity than any other people.

19If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20But at this moment the Messiah stands risen from the dead, the first one offered in the harvest of those who have died.

20But in fact Christ has 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 also came through a man.

21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

22For as in Adam all die, so also in the Messiah will all be made alive.

22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

23However, this will happen to each person in the proper order: first the Messiah, then those who belong to the Messiah when he comes.

23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

24Then the end will come, when after he has done away with every ruler and every authority and power, the Messiah hands over the kingdom to God the Father.

24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

25For he must rule until God puts all the Messiah's enemies under his feet.

25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

26The last enemy to be done away with is death,

26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27for "God has put everything under his feet." Now when he says, "Everything has been put under him," this clearly excludes the one who put everything under him.

27For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

28But when everything has been put under him, then the Son himself will also become subject to the one who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

28When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

29Otherwise, what will those people do who are being baptized because of those who have died? If the dead are not raised at all, why are they being baptized because of them?

29Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

30And why in fact are we being endangered every hour?

30Why are we in danger every hour?

31I face death every day! That is as certain, brothers, as it is that I am proud of you in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord.

31I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!

32If I have fought with wild animals in Ephesus from merely human motives, what do I get out of it? If the dead are not raised, "Let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

32What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

33Stop being deceived: "Wicked friends lead to evil ends."

33Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

34Come back to your senses as you should, and stop sinning! For some of you—I say this to your shame—don't fully know God.

34Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

35But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come back?"

35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”

36You fool! The seed you plant does not come to life unless it dies,

36You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

37and what you plant is not the form that it will be, but a bare kernel, whether it is wheat or something else.

37And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.

38But God gives the plant the form he wants it to have, and to each kind of seed its own form.

38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

39Not all flesh is the same. Humans have one kind of flesh, animals in general have another, birds have another, and fish have still another.

39For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

40There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of those in heaven is of one kind, and that of those on earth is of another.

40There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.

41One kind of splendor belongs to the sun, another to the moon, and still another to the stars. In fact, one star differs from another star in splendor.

41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

42This is how it will be at the resurrection of the dead. What is planted is decaying, what is raised cannot decay.

42So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.

43The body is planted in a state of dishonor but is raised in a state of splendor. It is planted in weakness but is raised in power.

43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

44It is planted a physical body but is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.

44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

45This, indeed, is what is written: "The first man, Adam, became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

45Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

46The spiritual does not come first, but the physical does, and then comes the spiritual.

46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.

47The first man came from the dust of the earth; the second man came from heaven.

47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

48Those who are made of the dust are like the man from the dust; those who are heavenly are like the man who is from heaven.

48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.

49Just as we have borne the likeness of the man who was made from dust, we will also bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

50Brothers, this is what I mean: Mortal bodies cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and what decays cannot inherit what does not decay.

50I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51Let me tell you a secret. Not all of us will die, but all of us will be changed—

51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52in a moment, faster than an eye can blink, at the sound of the last trumpet. Indeed, that trumpet will sound, and then the dead will be raised never to decay, and we will be changed.

52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

53For what is decaying must be clothed with what cannot decay, and what is dying must be clothed with what cannot die.

53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

54Now, when what is decaying is clothed with what cannot decay, and what is dying is clothed with what cannot die, then the written word will be fulfilled: "Death has been swallowed up by victory!"

54When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

55“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

56Now death's stinger is sin, and sin's power is the Law.

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 the Messiah!

57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that the work that you do for the Lord isn't wasted.

58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.