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1 Corinthians 15
New English Translation

Christ’s Resurrection

15 Now I want to make clear for you,[a] brothers and sisters,[b] the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as of first importance[c] what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised[d] on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[e] then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters[f] at one time, most of whom are still alive,[g] though some have fallen asleep.[h] 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time,[i] he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy 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 to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, this is the way we preach and this is the way you believed.

No Resurrection?

12 Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead,[j] how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty. 15 Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins. 18 Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep[k] in Christ have also perished. 19 For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man,[l] the resurrection of the dead also came through a man.[m] 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him.[n] 24 Then[o] comes the end,[p] when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be eliminated is death. 27 For he has put everything in subjection under his feet.[q] But when it says “everything” has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him. 28 And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.

29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead?[r] If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they baptized for them? 30 Why too are we in danger every hour? 31 Every day I am in danger of death! This is as sure as[s] my boasting in you,[t] which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If from a human point of view I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what did it benefit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.[u] 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”[v] 34 Sober up as you should, and stop sinning! For some have no knowledge of God—I say this to your shame!

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 Fool! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare seed[w]—perhaps of wheat or something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as he planned, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same: People have one flesh, animals have another, birds and fish another.[x] 40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The glory of the heavenly body is one sort and the earthly another. 41 There 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.

42 It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.[y] 43 It is sown in dishonor, 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living person”;[z] the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear[aa] the image of the man of heaven.

50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters:[ab] Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen,[ac] I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep,[ad] but we will all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the blinking[ae] of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen,

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[af]
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”[ag]

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 So then, dear brothers and sisters,[ah] be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:1 tn Grk “Now I make known to you.”
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:3 tn Grk “among (the) first things.”
  4. 1 Corinthians 15:4 tn Grk “he has been raised/is raised,” using a Greek tense that points to the present effect of the act of raising him. But in English idiom the temporal phrase “on the third day” requires a different translation of the verb.
  5. 1 Corinthians 15:5 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211). Both the Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” are related to words in each language which mean “rock.”
  6. 1 Corinthians 15:6 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
  7. 1 Corinthians 15:6 tn Grk “most of whom remain until now.”
  8. 1 Corinthians 15:6 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for death when speaking of believers. This metaphorical usage by its very nature emphasizes the hope of resurrection: Believers will one day “wake up” out of death. Here the term refers to death, but “sleep” was used in the translation to emphasize the metaphorical, rhetorical usage of the term.
  9. 1 Corinthians 15:8 sn One born at the wrong time. The Greek word used here (ἔκτρωμα, ektrōma) refers to a premature birth, a miscarriage, or an aborted child. Paul uses it as a powerful figure of the unexpected, abnormal nature of his apostolic call.
  10. 1 Corinthians 15:12 tn Grk “that he has been raised from the dead.”
  11. 1 Corinthians 15:18 tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6. This term is also used in v. 20.
  12. 1 Corinthians 15:21 tn Or “through a human being” (a reference to Adam).
  13. 1 Corinthians 15:21 tn Or “through a human being” (a reference to Jesus Christ).
  14. 1 Corinthians 15:23 tn Grk “then those who belong to Christ, at his coming.”
  15. 1 Corinthians 15:24 tn This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  16. 1 Corinthians 15:24 tn Grk “then the end” or “then (is) the end.” Paul explains how the “end” relates to resurrection in vv. 25-28.
  17. 1 Corinthians 15:27 sn A quotation from Ps 8:6.
  18. 1 Corinthians 15:29 sn Many suggestions have been offered for the puzzling expression baptized for the dead. There are up to 200 different explanations for the passage; a summary is given by K. C. Thompson, “I Corinthians 15, 29 and Baptism for the Dead,” Studia Evangelica 2.1 (TU 87), 647-59. The most likely interpretation is that some Corinthians had undergone baptism to bear witness to the faith of fellow believers who had died without experiencing that rite themselves. Paul’s reference to the practice here is neither a recommendation nor a condemnation. He simply uses it as evidence from the lives of the Corinthians themselves to bolster his larger argument, begun in 15:12, that resurrection from the dead is a present reality in Christ and a future reality for them. Whatever they may have proclaimed, the Corinthians’ actions demonstrated that they had hope for a bodily resurrection.
  19. 1 Corinthians 15:31 tn Or, more literally, “I swear by the boasting in you.”
  20. 1 Corinthians 15:31 tc ‡ Although the witnesses for the shorter reading (P46 D F G Ψ 075 0243 1739 1881 M) are not as strong as for the addition of ἀδελφοί (adelphoi, “brothers”) at this juncture (א A B K P 33 81 104 365 1175 2464 lat sy co), it is difficult to find a reason why scribes would either intentionally or unintentionally drop the address here. Thus, the shorter reading is slightly preferred.
  21. 1 Corinthians 15:32 sn An allusion to Isa 22:13; 56:12.
  22. 1 Corinthians 15:33 sn A quotation from the poet Menander, Thais 218, which Paul uses in a proverbial sense.
  23. 1 Corinthians 15:37 tn Grk “and what you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare seed.”
  24. 1 Corinthians 15:39 tn Grk “all flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one (flesh) of people, but another flesh of animals and another flesh of birds and another of fish.”
  25. 1 Corinthians 15:42 tn Grk “it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.” The “it” refers to the body, as v. 44 shows.
  26. 1 Corinthians 15:45 tn Grk “living soul”; a quotation from Gen 2:7.
  27. 1 Corinthians 15:49 tc ‡ A few significant witnesses have the future indicative φορέσομεν (phoresomen, “we will bear”; B I 6 630 1881 al sa) instead of the aorist subjunctive φορέσωμεν (phoresōmen, “let us bear”; P46 א A C D F G Ψ 075 0243 33 1739 M latt bo). If the original reading is the future tense, then “we will bear” would be a guarantee that believers would be like Jesus (and unlike Adam) in the resurrection. If the aorist subjunctive is original, then “let us bear” would be a command to show forth the image of Jesus, i.e., to live as citizens of the kingdom that believers will one day inherit. The future indicative is not widespread geographically. At the same time, it fits the context well: Not only are there indicatives in this section (especially vv. 42-49), but the conjunction καί (kai) introducing the comparative καθώς (kathōs) seems best to connect to the preceding by furthering the same argument (what is, not what ought to be). For this reason, though, the future indicative could be a reading thus motivated by an early scribe. In light of the extremely weighty evidence for the aorist subjunctive, it is probably best to regard the aorist subjunctive as autographic. This connects well with v. 50, for there Paul makes a pronouncement that seems to presuppose some sort of exhortation. G. D. Fee (First Corinthians [NICNT], 795) argues for the originality of the subjunctive, stating that “it is nearly impossible to account for anyone’s having changed a clearly understandable future to the hortatory subjunctive so early and so often that it made its way into every textual history as the predominant reading.” The subjunctive makes a great deal of sense in view of the occasion of 1 Corinthians. Paul wrote to combat an over-realized eschatology in which some of the Corinthians evidently believed they were experiencing all the benefits of the resurrection body in the present, and thus that their behavior did not matter. If the subjunctive is the correct reading, it seems Paul makes two points: (1) that the resurrection is a bodily one, as distinct from an out-of-body experience, and (2) that one’s behavior in the interim does make a difference (see 15:32-34, 58).
  28. 1 Corinthians 15:50 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
  29. 1 Corinthians 15:51 tn Grk “Behold.”
  30. 1 Corinthians 15:51 tc The manuscripts are grouped into four basic readings here: (1) א C 0243* 33 1739 have “we all will sleep, but we will not all be changed” (πάντες κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα); (2) P46 Ac (F G) have “we will not all sleep, but we will not all be changed” (πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα); (3) D* lat Tert Ambst Spec read “we will all rise, but we will not all be changed.” (4) The wording πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα (“we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed”) is found in B D2 Ψ 075 0243c 1881 M sy co. How shall we interpret such data? In light of the fact that Paul and his generation did in fact die, early scribes may have felt some embarrassment over the bald statement, “We will not all sleep” (πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα). This could account for the first variant. Although the second variant could be viewed as a conflation of (1) and (4) (so TCGNT 502; G. D. Fee, First Corinthians [NICNT], 796), it could also have arisen consciously, to guard against the notion that all whom Paul was addressing should regard themselves as true believers. The third variant, prominent in the Western witnesses, may have arisen to counter those who would deny the final resurrection (so TCGNT 502). In any event, since the fourth reading has the best credentials externally and best explains the rise of the others it should be adopted as the authentic wording here.tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6.
  31. 1 Corinthians 15:52 tn The Greek word ῥιπή (rhipē) refers to a very rapid movement (BDAG 906 s.v.). This has traditionally been translated as “twinkling,” which implies an exceedingly fast—almost instantaneous—movement of the eyes, but this could be confusing to the modern reader since twinkling in modern English often suggests a faint, flashing light. In conjunction with the genitive ὀφθαλμοῦ (ophthalmou, “of an eye”), “blinking” is the best English equivalent (see, e.g., L&N 16.5), although it does not convey the exact speed implicit in the Greek term.
  32. 1 Corinthians 15:54 sn A quotation from Isa 25:8.
  33. 1 Corinthians 15:55 sn A quotation from Hos 13:14.
  34. 1 Corinthians 15:58 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
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哥林多前书 15
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

基督的复活

15 弟兄姊妹，我希望你们记住我传给你们的福音，就是你们曾经领受，向来坚持的福音。 2 你们若持守我传给你们的，必因这福音而得救——除非你们没有真正相信。

3 我所领受并传给你们的最重要的信息是：基督照圣经的记载为我们的罪死了， 4 然后被埋葬了；又照圣经的记载在第三天复活了， 5 并曾向彼得显现，又向十二使徒显现； 6 后来有一次向五百多位弟兄姊妹显现，其中有许多至今依然健在，也有些已经安息了； 7 随后，祂向雅各显现，又向众使徒显现； 8 到最后，竟也向我这好像未按产期出生[a]的人显现。

9 在众使徒中我最微不足道，根本不配称为使徒，因为我曾迫害上帝的教会。 10 但靠着上帝的恩典，我成了今天的我，祂赐给我的恩典没有枉费。我比其他人更加卖力，不过我不是靠自己，而是上帝的恩典与我同在。 11 不论是我传的还是其他使徒传的，我们怎样传，你们也怎样相信了。

死人复活

12 既然我们一直都在传扬基督已经从死里复活，怎么你们当中却有些人否定死人复活的事呢？ 13 要是没有死人复活的事，基督也就没有复活。 14 如果基督没有复活，我们所传的就是虚空，你们所信的也是虚空。 15 而且，我们就是在为上帝做假见证，因为我们见证上帝已经使基督复活了。如果没有死人复活的事，上帝也就没有叫基督复活。 16 如果人死了不会复活，基督也就没有复活。 17 如果基督没有复活，你们的信仰就是虚空，你们依旧沉沦在罪中， 18 那些在基督里安息的人也灭亡了。 19 如果我们对基督的盼望只在今世，我们就是世上最可怜的人。

20 然而，基督已经从死里复活，祂是死人中第一个复活的[b]。 21 既然死亡的到来是借着一人，复活的到来也是借着一人。 22 因为正如在亚当里众人都死了，同样，在基督里众人也都要复活。 23 然而，各人要按照先后次序复活。基督最先复活，以后祂再来时，属祂的人也要复活。 24 最后末日来临，那时基督会废除一切执政的、掌权的、有能力的，将国度交给父上帝。 25 因为基督必执掌王权，直到上帝将所有的仇敌都放在祂脚下。 26 祂最后要毁灭的仇敌就是死亡。 27 因为圣经上说：“上帝使万物降服在祂脚下。”当然，这里说的“万物都降服祂”不包括使万物降服祂的上帝。 28 到了万物都归服基督以后，圣子基督也要归服那使万物归服祂的上帝，使上帝做万物的主宰。

29 否则，那些人代替死人受洗有什么意义呢？死人如果不会复活，为什么要代替他们受洗呢？ 30 我们又何必时刻身临险境呢？ 31 我天天与死亡搏斗。弟兄姊妹，我这样说，就跟我在主基督耶稣里以你们为荣一样，没有半点虚假。 32 从人的角度看，我在以弗所与那些“恶兽”格斗对我有什么益处呢？如果死人不会复活，“让我们吃喝吧！因为明天我们就死了。” 33 你们不要上当受骗，“交坏朋友会败坏好品德”。 34 你们该醒悟了！不要继续犯罪，因为你们当中有些人不认识上帝。我说这话是要叫你们羞愧。

复活后的身体

35 或许有人会问：“死人怎样复活呢？复活后会有怎样的身体呢？” 36 无知的人啊！你们种下的种子必须先死，然后才能生长。 37 而且，你们种下的并不是那将来要长成的形体，仅仅是种子，或麦种，或其他种子。 38 上帝按自己的旨意赐给种子形体，每个种子都有自己的形体。 39 血肉之体各不相同，人、鱼、鸟、兽都各有不同的形体。

40 此外，有天上的形体，也有地上的形体，两者的荣光各不相同。 41 日有日的荣光，月有月的荣光，星有星的荣光，这颗星和那颗星的荣光也有分别。

42 死人复活也是同样的道理。种下去的会朽坏，复活的不会朽坏； 43 种下去的是羞耻的，复活的是荣耀的；种下去的是软弱的，复活的是刚强的； 44 种下去的是血肉之躯，复活的是属灵的形体。既有血肉之躯，也必有属灵的形体。 45 圣经上也说：“第一个亚当成了有生命的人”，但末后的亚当是赐人生命的灵。 46 先有的不是属灵的形体，而是血肉之躯，以后才有属灵的形体。 47 第一个人亚当来自地上，是用尘土造的，但第二个人基督来自天上。 48 尘土所造的那位是什么样，属地的人也是什么样；从天而来的那位是什么样，属天的人也是什么样。 49 我们既然有属地的形象，将来也必有属天的形象。

50 弟兄姊妹，我告诉你们，血肉之躯不能承受上帝的国，必朽坏的身体也不能承受永不朽坏的产业。 51 听着，我要告诉你们一个奥秘：我们并不是都要死亡[c]，乃是都要改变—— 52 就在一刹那，眨眼之间，最后的号角吹响的时候。因为号角一吹响，死人就要复活成为永不朽坏的，我们也要改变。 53 那时，这必朽的身体要变成不朽的，这必死的要变成不死的。 54 当这一切发生的时候，就应验了圣经上的话：

“死亡被胜利吞灭了。”
55 “死亡啊！你得胜的权势在哪里？
死亡啊！你的毒钩在哪里？”

56 死亡的毒钩就是罪，罪借着律法施展它的权势。 57 但感谢上帝，祂使我们靠着主耶稣基督得胜。

58 所以，我亲爱的弟兄姊妹，你们务要坚定不移，总要竭力做主的工作，因为你们知道自己在主里面的辛勤付出不会白费。

Footnotes

  1. 15:8 保罗用“未按产期出生”来指自己非比寻常的蒙召经历。
  2. 15:20 “是死人中第一个复活的”希腊文是“成为已经睡了之人初熟的果子”。
  3. 15:51 “死亡”希腊文是“睡觉”。
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