3I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.

4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

5He was seen by Peter15:5 Greek Cephas. and then by the Twelve.

6After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers15:6 Greek the brothers. at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

7Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.

8Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

9For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

10But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

11So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

20But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

21So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man.

22Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

23But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

24After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.

25For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet.

26And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.”15:27 Ps 8:6. (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.)

28Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

29If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again?

30And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour?

31For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you.

32And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus15:32a Greek fighting wild beasts in Ephesus.—if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”15:32b Isa 22:13.

33Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

34Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.

40There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies.

41The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.

42It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.

43Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength.

44They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

45The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”15:45 Gen 2:7. But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.

46What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later.

47Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven.

48Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man.

49Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like15:49 Some manuscripts read let us be like. the heavenly man.

50What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.

51But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!

52It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.

53For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

54Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,15:54a Some manuscripts add and our mortal bodies have been transformed into immortal bodies. this Scripture will be fulfilled:

58So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.