Christ Rose From the Dead
1Brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you. You received it and have put your faith in it. 2Because you believed the good news, you are saved. But you must hold firmly to the message I preached to you. If you don’t, you have believed it for nothing.
3What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. 4He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. 5He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the 12 apostles. 6After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. 7He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles. 8Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn’t born at the right time.
9I am the least important of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God’s church. 10But because of God’s grace I am what I am. And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn’t do the work. God’s grace was with me. 11So this is what we preach, whether I or the other apostles who preached to you. And that is what you believed.
Believers Will Rise From the Dead
12We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead? 13If no one rises from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn’t mean anything. Your faith doesn’t mean anything either. 15More than that, we would be lying about God. We are witnesses that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised. 16If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn’t mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven. 18Those who have died believing in Christ are also lost. 19Do we have hope in Christ only for this life? Then people should pity us more than anyone else.
20But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise from the dead. 21Death came because of what a man did. Rising from the dead also comes because of what a man did. 22Because of Adam, all people die. So because of Christ, all will be made alive. 23But here is the order of events. Christ is the first of those who rise from the dead. When he comes back, those who belong to him will be raised. 24Then the end will come after Christ destroys all rule, authority and power. Then he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father. 25Christ must rule until he has put all his enemies under his control. 26The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27Scripture says that God “has put everything under his control.” (Psalm 8:6) It says that “everything” has been put under him. But it is clear that this does not include God himself. That’s because God put everything under Christ. 28When he has done that, the Son also will be under God’s rule. God put everything under the Son. In that way, God will be all in all.
29Suppose no one rises from the dead. Then what will people do who are baptized for the dead? Suppose the dead are not raised at all. Then why are people baptized for them? 30And why would we put ourselves in danger every hour? 31I face death every day. That’s the truth. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I take pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done for you through my work. 32Did I fight wild animals in Ephesus with nothing more than human hopes? Then what have I gotten for it? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
because tomorrow we will die.” (Isaiah 22:13)
33Don’t let anyone fool you. “Bad companions make a good person bad.” 34You should come back to your senses and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know anything about God. I say this to make you ashamed.
The Body That Rises From the Dead
35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?” 36How foolish! What you plant doesn’t come to life unless it dies. 37When you plant something, it isn’t a completely grown plant that you put in the ground. You only plant a seed. Maybe it’s wheat or something else. 38But God gives the seed a body just as he has planned. And to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39Not all earthly creatures are the same. People have one kind of body. Animals have another. Birds have another kind. Fish have still another. 40There are also heavenly bodies as well as earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies have one kind of glory. Earthly bodies have another. 41The sun has one kind of glory. The moon has another kind. The stars have still another. And one star’s glory is different from that of another star.
42It will be like that with bodies that are raised from the dead. The body that is planted does not last forever. The body that is raised from the dead lasts forever. 43It is planted without honor. But it is raised in glory. It is planted in weakness. But it is raised in power. 44It is planted as an earthly body. But it is raised as a spiritual body.
Just as there is an earthly body, there is also a spiritual body. 45It is written, “The first man Adam became a living person.” (Genesis 2:7) The last Adam became a spirit that gives life. 46What is spiritual did not come first. What is earthly came first. What is spiritual came after that. 47The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. 48Those who belong to the earth are like the one who came from the earth. And those who are spiritual are like the heavenly man. 49We are like the earthly man. And we will be like the heavenly man.
50Brothers and sisters, here is what I’m telling you. Bodies made of flesh and blood can’t share in the kingdom of God. And what dies can’t share in what never dies. 51Listen! I am telling you a mystery. We will not all die. But we will all be changed. 52That will happen in a flash, as quickly as you can wink an eye. It will happen at the blast of the last trumpet. Then the dead will be raised to live forever. And we will be changed. 53Our natural bodies don’t last forever. They must be dressed with what does last forever. What dies must be dressed with what does not die. 54In fact, that is going to happen. What does not last will be dressed with what lasts forever. What dies will be dressed with what does not die. Then what is written will come true. It says, “Death has been swallowed up. It has lost the battle.” (Isaiah 25:8)
55“Death, where is the victory you thought you had?
Death, where is your sting?” (Hosea 13:14)
56The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law. 57But let us give thanks to God! He gives us the victory because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.
58My dear brothers and sisters, remain strong in the faith. Don’t let anything move you. Always give yourselves completely to the work of the Lord. Because you belong to the Lord, you know that your work is not worthless.
Kufufuka Kwa Kristo
115:1 Isa 40:9; Rum 2:16; 1Kor 3:6Basi ndugu zangu nataka niwakumbushe kuhusu Injili niliyowahubiria, mkaipokea na ambayo katika hiyo mmesimama. 215:2 Rum 1:16; 11:22Kwa Injili hii mnaokolewa mkishikilia kwa uthabiti neno nililowahubiria ninyi. La sivyo, mmeamini katika ubatili.
315:3 Gal 1:12; 1Kor 11:2; Isa 53:5; Yn 1:29; Gal 1:4; 1Pet 2:24; Mt 26:24; Lk 24:27; Mdo 17:2; 26:22; 23Kwa maana yale niliyopokea ndiyo niliyowapa ninyi, kama yenye umuhimu wa kwanza: Kwamba Kristo alikufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, kama yasemavyo Maandiko, 415:4 Mt 27:59-61; Mdo 2:24; Mt 16:21; Yn 2:21-22ya kuwa alizikwa na alifufuliwa siku ya tatu, kama yasemavyo Maandiko, 515:5 Lk 24:34-43; Mk 16:14na kwamba alimtokea Kefa,15:5 Yaani Petro. kisha akawatokea wale kumi na wawili. 615:6 Mt 9:24Baadaye akawatokea wale ndugu waumini zaidi ya 500 kwa pamoja, ambao wengi wao bado wako hai, ingawa wengine wamelala. 715:7 Mdo 15:13; Lk 24:33-37; Mdo 1:3-4Ndipo akamtokea Yakobo na kisha mitume wote. 815:8 Mdo 9:3-6; 1Kor 9:1; Gal 1:16Mwisho wa wote, akanitokea mimi pia, ambaye ni kama aliyezaliwa si kwa wakati wake.
915:9 2Kor 12:11; Efe 3:8; 1Tim 1:15; Mdo 8:3; 1Kor 10:32Kwa maana mimi ndiye mdogo kuliko mitume wote, nisiyestahili kuitwa mtume, kwa sababu nililitesa kanisa la Mungu. 1015:10 Rum 3:24; 12:3; 2Kor 11:23; Kol 1:29; Flp 2:13Lakini kwa neema ya Mungu nimekuwa hivi nilivyo na neema yake kwangu haikuwa kitu bure. Bali nilizidi sana kufanya kazi kuliko mitume wote, lakini haikuwa mimi, bali ni ile neema ya Mungu iliyokuwa pamoja nami. 1115:11 Gal 2:6Hivyo basi, kama ilikuwa mimi au wao, hili ndilo tunalohubiri, na hili ndilo mliloamini.
Ufufuo Wa Wafu
1215:12 Yn 11:24; Mdo 17:32; 23:8; 2Tim 2:18Basi kama tumehubiri ya kwamba Kristo alifufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu, mbona baadhi yenu mnasema hakuna ufufuo wa wafu? 13Lakini kama hakuna ufufuo wa wafu, basi hata Kristo hakufufuliwa. 1415:14 1The 4:14Tena ikiwa Kristo hakufufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu, kuhubiri kwetu kumekuwa ni bure na imani yenu ni batili. 1515:15 Mdo 2:24; 4:10, 33; 13:30Zaidi ya hayo, twaonekana kuwa mashahidi wa uongo kuhusu Mungu, kwa sababu tumeshuhudia kumhusu Mungu kwamba alimfufua Kristo kutoka kwa wafu, lakini hilo haliwezi kuwa kweli kama wafu hawafufuliwi. 1615:16 1Kor 6:14Kwa kuwa kama wafu hawafufuliwi, basi hata Kristo hajafufuka. 1715:17 Rum 4:25Tena kama Kristo hajafufuliwa, imani yenu ni batili; nanyi bado mko katika dhambi zenu. 1815:18 Mt 9:24Hivyo basi, wote waliolala katika Kristo wamepotea. 1915:19 1Kor 4:9Ikiwa tumaini letu ndani ya Kristo ni kwa ajili ya maisha haya tu, sisi tunastahili kuhurumiwa kuliko watu wote.
2015:20 1Pet 1:3; Mdo 26:23; Ufu 1:5; Mt 9:24Lakini kweli Kristo amefufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu, tunda la kwanza la wale wote waliolala. 2115:21 Rum 5:12Kwa maana kama vile mauti ilivyokuja kwa njia ya mtu mmoja, vivyo hivyo, ufufuo wa wafu umekuja kwa njia ya mtu mmoja. 2215:22 Rum 5:14-18; 1Kor 6:14Kwa maana kama vile katika Adamu watu wote wanakufa, vivyo hivyo katika Kristo wote watafanywa hai. 2315:23 1The 2:19; 1Kor 3:23Lakini kila mmoja kwa wakati wake: Kristo, tunda la kwanza kisha, wale walio wake, wakati atakapokuja. 2415:24 Dan 2:44; 7:14; 2Pet 1:11; Rum 8:38Ndipo mwisho utafika, wakati atakapomkabidhi Mungu Baba ufalme, akiisha angamiza kila utawala na kila mamlaka na nguvu. 2515:25 Isa 9:7; 52:7; Mt 22:44Kwa maana lazima Kristo atawale mpaka awe amewaweka adui zake wote chini ya miguu yake. 2615:26 2Tim 1:10; Ufu 20:14; 21:4Adui wa mwisho atakayeangamizwa ni mauti. 2715:27 Za 8:6; Mt 22:44; 28:18Kwa maana Mungu “ameweka vitu vyote chini ya miguu yake.” Lakini isemapo kwamba “vitu vyote” vimewekwa chini yake, ni wazi kwamba Mungu aliyetiisha vitu vyote chini ya Kristo hayumo miongoni mwa hivyo vilivyotiishwa. 2815:28 Flp 3:21; 1Kor 3:23Atakapokuwa amekwisha kuyafanya haya, ndipo Mwana mwenyewe atatiishwa chini yake yeye aliyetiisha vitu vyote, ili Mungu awe yote katika yote.
29Basi kama hakuna ufufuo, watafanyaje wale wabatizwao kwa ajili ya wafu? Kama wafu hawafufuliwi kamwe, mbona watu wanabatizwa kwa ajili yao? 3015:30 2Kor 11:26Nasi kwa upande wetu kwa nini tunajihatarisha kila saa? 3115:31 Rum 8:36Kama majivuno yangu kwa ajili yenu katika Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu ni kweli, ndugu zangu, ninakufa kila siku. 3215:32 2Kor 1:8; Mdo 18:19; Isa 22:13; Lk 12:19Kama kwa sababu za kibinadamu tu nilipigana na wanyama wakali huko Efeso, ningekuwa nimepata faida gani? Kama wafu hawafufuliwi,
“Tuleni na kunywa,
kwa kuwa kesho tutakufa.”
3315:33 1Kor 6:9; Mit 22:24-25Msidanganyike: “Ushirika na watu wabaya huharibu tabia njema.” 3415:34 Gal 4:8; 1Kor 4:8; 4:14Zindukeni mwe na akili kama iwapasavyo, wala msitende dhambi tena; kwa maana watu wengine hawamjui Mungu. Nasema mambo haya ili mwone aibu.
Mwili Wa Ufufuo
3515:35 Rum 9:19; Eze 37:3Lakini mtu anaweza kuuliza, “Wafu wafufuliwaje? Watakuwa na mwili wa namna gani?” 3615:36 Lk 11:40; 12:20; Yn 12:24Ninyi wapumbavu kiasi gani? Mpandacho hakiwi hai kama hakikufa. 37Mpandapo, hampandi mwili ule utakao kuwa, bali mwapanda mbegu tu, pengine ya ngano au ya kitu kingine. 3815:38 Mwa 1:11Lakini Mungu huipa mbegu umbo kama alivyokusudia mwenyewe na kila aina ya mbegu huipa umbo lake. 39Kwa maana nyama zote si za aina moja. Binadamu wana nyama ya aina moja, wanyama wana aina nyingine, kadhalika ndege na samaki wana nyama tofauti. 40Pia kuna miili ya mbinguni na miili ya duniani, lakini fahari wa ile miili ya mbinguni ni wa aina moja na fahari wa ile miili ya duniani ni wa aina nyingine. 4115:41 Za 19:4-6; 8:1-3Jua lina fahari ya aina moja, mwezi nao una fahari yake na nyota pia, nazo nyota hutofautiana katika fahari.
4215:42 Dan 12:3; Mt 13:43Hivyo ndivyo itakavyokuwa wakati wa ufufuo wa wafu. Ule mwili wa kuharibika uliopandwa, utafufuliwa usioharibika, 4315:43 Flp 3:21; Kol 3:4unapandwa katika aibu, unafufuliwa katika utukufu, unapandwa katika udhaifu, unafufuliwa katika nguvu, 4415:44 1Kor 15:50unapandwa mwili wa asili, unafufuliwa mwili wa kiroho.
Kama kuna mwili wa asili, basi kuna mwili wa kiroho pia. 4515:45 Mwa 2:7; Rum 5:14; Yn 5:21; 6:57-58; Rum 8:2Kwa hiyo imeandikwa, “Mtu wa kwanza Adamu alifanyika kiumbe hai”; Adamu wa mwisho, yeye ni roho iletayo uzima. 46Lakini si ule wa kiroho uliotangulia, bali ni ule wa asili, kisha ule wa kiroho. 47Mtu wa kwanza aliumbwa kwa mavumbi ya ardhini, mtu wa pili alitoka mbinguni. 4815:48 Flp 3:20-21Kama vile alivyokuwa yule wa ardhini, ndivyo walivyo wale walio wa ardhini; na kwa vile alivyo mtu yule aliyetoka mbinguni, ndivyo walivyo wale walio wa mbinguni. 4915:49 Mwa 5:3; Rum 8:29Kama vile tulivyochukua mfano wa mtu wa ardhini, ndivyo tutakavyochukua mfano wa yule mtu aliyetoka mbinguni.
5015:50 Efe 6:12; Ebr 2:14; Mt 25:34Ndugu zangu nisemalo ni hili: nyama na damu haviwezi kuurithi ufalme wa Mungu, wala kuharibika kurithi kutokuharibika. 5115:51 1Kor 13:2; 14:2; Mt 9:24; 2Kor 5:4; Flp 3:21Sikilizeni, nawaambia siri: Sote hatutalala, lakini sote tutabadilishwa 5215:52 Mt 24:31; Yn 5:25ghafula, kufumba na kufumbua, parapanda ya mwisho itakapolia. Kwa kuwa parapanda italia, nao wafu watafufuliwa na miili isiyoharibika, nasi tutabadilishwa. 5315:53 2Kor 5:2-4Kwa maana mwili huu wa kuharibika lazima uvae kutokuharibika, nao huu wa kufa lazima uvae kutokufa. 5415:54 Isa 25:8; Ebr 2:14; Ufu 20:14Kwa hiyo, mwili huu wa kuharibika utakapovaa kutokuharibika, nao huu mwili wa kufa utakapovaa kutokufa, ndipo lile neno lililoandikwa litakapotimia: “Mauti imemezwa kwa kushinda.”
5515:55 Hos 13:14; Isa 25:8“Kuko wapi, ee mauti, kushinda kwako?
Uko wapi, ee mauti, uchungu wako?”
5615:56 Rum 5:12; 14:15Uchungu wa mauti ni dhambi na nguvu ya dhambi ni sheria. 5715:57 2Kor 2:14; Rum 8:37; Ebr 2:14-15Lakini ashukuriwe Mungu, yeye atupaye ushindi kwa njia ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo.
5815:58 1Kor 16:10; Isa 65:23Kwa hiyo, ndugu zangu wapenzi, simameni imara, msitikisike, mzidi sana katika kuitenda kazi ya Bwana, kwa maana mnajua ya kuwa, kazi yenu katika Bwana si bure.
