The Resurrection of Christ
1Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance15:3 Or you at the first: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas,15:5 That is, Peter and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12But if it is preached that Christ has been 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 not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20But Christ has indeed 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 comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For he “has put everything under his feet.”15:27 Psalm 8:6 Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”15:32 Isaiah 22:13
33Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”15:33 From the Greek poet Menander 34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”15:45 Gen. 2:7; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us bear the image of the heavenly man.
50I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”15:54 Isaiah 25:8
55“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”15:55 Hosea 13:14
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Za Kuuka kwa Khristu
1Tsono abale, ndikufuna ndikukumbutseni za Uthenga Wabwino umene ndinakulalikirani. Munawulandira ndipo munawukhulupirira kolimba. 2Inu munapulumutsidwa ndi Uthenga Wabwinowu, ngati mwasunga mawu amene ndinakulalikirani. Kupanda kutero, mwangokhulupirira pachabe.
3Pakuti chimene ndinalandira ndinapereka kwa inu monga chofunika kuposa zonse, kuti Khristu anafera zoyipa zathu monga mwa Malemba, 4kuti anayikidwa mʼmanda, kuti anaukitsidwa tsiku lachitatu monga mwa Malemba; 5ndipo kuti anaonekera kwa Petro, ndipo kenaka kwa Atumwi khumi ndi awiriwo. 6Pambuyo pake, Iye anaonekera kwa anthu oposa 500 mwa abale pa nthawi imodzi, ndipo ambiri mwa iwo akanali ndi moyo ngakhale kuti ena anagona tulo. 7Kenaka anaonekeranso kwa Yakobo, kenaka kwa atumwi onse. 8Potsiriza pa onse anaonekeranso kwa ine, monga mwana wobadwa nthawi isanakwane.
9Pakuti ine ndine wamngʼono kwa atumwi ndipo sindiyenera nʼkomwe kutchedwa mtumwi chifukwa ndinazunza mpingo wa Mulungu. 10Koma mwachisomo cha Mulungu, ndili mmene ndililimu, ndipo chisomo chake kwa ine sichinali chopanda ntchito. Ndinagwira ntchito kuposa ena onse a iwo. Choncho sindine koma chisomo cha Mulungu chimene chinali ndi ine. 11Tsono kaya ndi ineyo kapena iwowo, izi ndi zomwe timalalikira, ndipo izi ndi zimene munakhulupirira.
Kuuka kwa Oyera Mtima
12Koma ngati timalalikira kuti Khristu anaukitsidwa kwa akufa, zikutheka bwanji kuti ena mwa inu azinena kuti kulibe kuuka kwa akufa? 13Ngati kulibe kuuka kwa akufa, ndiye kuti ngakhale Khristu sanaukenso. 14Ndipo ngati Khristu sanaukitsidwe, ndiye kuti kulalikira kwathu nʼkopanda ntchito, ndipo chikhulupiriro chanu nʼchopandanso ntchito. 15Kuwonjezera pamenepa, ndiye kuti ndife mboni zabodza pa za Mulungu, pakuti tikuchita umboni kuti Mulungu anaukitsa Khristu kwa akufa. Ngati nʼzoona kuti akufa saukitsidwa, ndiye kuti Mulungu sanaukitsenso Khristu. 16Pakuti ngati akufa saukitsidwa, ndiye kuti nayenso Khristu sanaukitsidwe. 17Ndipo ngati Khristu sanaukitsidwe, chikhulupiriro chanu nʼchopanda ntchito; mukanali mu machimo anu. 18Ndiye kuti nawonso amene agona tulo mwa Ambuye ndi otayika. 19Ngati kukanakhala kuti tili ndi chiyembekezo mwa Khristu mʼmoyo uno wokha, tikanakhala omvetsa chisoni kuposa anthu ena onse.
20Koma nʼzoonadi kuti Khristu anaukitsidwa kwa kufa, chipatso choyamba cha onse ogona tulo. 21Pakuti monga imfa inadza kudzera mwa munthu, kuuka kwa akufa kwabweranso kudzera mwa munthu. 22Pakuti monga mwa Adamu onse amafa, chomwechonso mwa Khristu onse adzakhala ndi amoyo. 23Koma aliyense adzauka pa nthawi yake. Khristu ndiye woyambirira, pambuyo pake, pamene Khristu adzabwera, iwo amene ali ake adzauka. 24Pamenepo chimaliziro chidzafika, pamene Iye adzapereka ufumu kwa Mulungu Atate, atathetsa ufumu wonse, ulamuliro wonse ndi mphamvu zonse. 25Pakuti Iye ayenera kulamulira mpaka Mulungu atayika pansi pa mapazi ake adani ake onse. 26Mdani wotsiriza kuwonongedwa ndi imfa. 27Pakuti Mulungu “wayika zinthu zonse pansi pa mapazi ake.” Ponena kuti wayika “zinthu zonse pansi pa mapazi ake,” nʼchodziwikiratu kuti sakuphatikizapo ndi Mulungu yemwe, amene anayika zinthu zonse pansi pa Khristu. 28Pamene adzatsiriza kuchita zimenezi, Mwana weniweniyo adzakhala pansi pa ulamuliro wa Iye amene anayika zinthu zonse pansi pake, kuti Mulungu akhale zonse mu zonse.
29Tsono ngati kulibe kuuka kwa akufa, kodi iwo amene akubatizidwa chifukwa cha akufa, adzatani? Ngati akufa saukitsidwa nʼkomwe, bwanji nanga anthu akubatizidwa mʼmalo mwawo? 30Ndipo kwa ife, tikuyikiranji moyo wathu pachiswe nthawi ndi nthawi? 31Abale, ndimafa tsiku ndi tsiku, ndikunenetsa zimenezi, mongotsimikizira monga ndimakunyadirani mwa Khristu Yesu Ambuye athu. 32Ngati ndinalimbana ndi zirombo za kuthengo ku Efeso pa zifukwa za umunthu chabe, ndapindulanji? Ngati akufa sadzaukitsidwa,
“Tiyeni tidye ndi kumwa,
pakuti mawa tifa.”
33Musasocheretsedwe, “Kukhala mʼmagulu oyipa kumawononga makhalidwe abwino.” 34Ganizani bwino monga kuyenerera, ndiye lekani kuchimwa; pakuti pali ena amene sadziwa Mulungu. Ndikunena izi kuti muchite manyazi.
Kuukitsidwa kwa Thupi
35Koma wina akhoza kufunsa kuti, “Kodi akufa amaukitsidwa motani? Adzauka ndi thupi la mtundu wanji?” 36Wopusa iwe! Chimene mudzala sichikhala ndi moyo pokhapokha chitayamba chafa. 37Mukadzala, simudzala thupi limene lidzamere, koma mbewu chabe, mwina ya tirigu kapena ya china chake. 38Koma Mulungu amayipatsa thupi monga Iye wafunira, ku mbewu ya mtundu uliwonse amapereka thupi lakelake. 39Mnofu siwofanana. Anthu ali ndi mnofu wa mtundu wina, nyama zili ndi wina, mbalame zili ndi wina, nsomba zili ndi winanso. 40Palinso matupi akumwamba ndipo palinso matupi a dziko lapansi; koma ulemerero wa matupi akumwamba ndi wina, ndi wa matupi a dziko lapansi ndi winanso. 41Dzuwa lili ndi ulemerero wake, ndipo pali ulemerero wina wa mwezi, palinso ulemerero winanso wa nyenyezi. Ulemerero wa nyenyezi ndi wosiyanasiyana.
42Zidzaterenso pamene akufa adzauka. Thupi loyikidwa mʼnthaka ngati mbewu limavunda, koma likadzauka lidzakhala losavunda. 43Limayikidwa mʼmanda mopanda ulemu, koma likadzaukitsidwa lidzakhala ndi ulemerero. Limayikidwa mʼmanda lili lofowoka, koma likadzaukitsidwa lidzakhala ndi mphamvu. 44Limayikidwa mʼmanda thupi la mnofu chabe, koma likadzaukitsidwa lidzakhala lauzimu.
Ngati pali thupi la mnofu, palinso thupi lauzimu. 45Kwalembedwa kuti, “Munthu woyamba Adamu anakhala wamoyo,” Adamu wotsiriza anakhala wopatsa moyo. 46Zauzimu sizinabwere koyambirira, koma zachilengedwe, pambuyo pake zauzimu. 47Munthu woyamba anali wa dziko lapansi, wochokera mʼnthaka koma munthu wachiwiri anali wochokera kumwamba. 48Monga analili munthu wa dziko lapansi, momwemonso anthu onse amene ndi a dziko lapansi. Ndipo monga alili munthu wakumwamba, momwemonso anthu onse amene ndi akumwamba. 49Ndipo monga momwe tinabadwa ofanana ndi munthu wa dziko lapansi uja, momwemonso tidzakhala ofanana ndi munthu wakumwamba.
50Ndikunenetsa, abale, kuti thupi ndi magazi sizingathe kulowa mu ufumu wa Mulungu, ndipo zimene zimavunda sizingathe kulowa kumene zinthu sizivunda. 51Tamverani, ndikuwuzeni chinsinsi. Tonse sitidzagona tulo, koma tonse tidzasandulika. 52Zidzachitika mwadzidzidzi, mʼkamphindi kochepa, monga ngati kuphethira kwa diso, pa lipenga lotsiriza. Pakuti lipenga lidzalira, akufa adzaukitsidwa opanda chovunda, ndipo ife tidzasandulika. 53Pakuti chovunda chiyenera kuvala chosavunda, ndi thupi ili lakufa liyenera kuvala losafa. 54Pamene thupi lovundali likadzasanduka losavunda, ndipo thupi lotha kufali likadzasanduka losatha kufa, pamenepo zidzakwaniritsidwa zimene zinalembedwa zakuti, “Imfa yogonjetsedwa kwathunthu.”
55“Iwe imfa, kupambana kwako kuli kuti?
Iwe imfa, ululu wako uli kuti?”
56Ululu wa imfa ndi tchimo, ndipo mphamvu ya tchimo ndi lamulo. 57Koma tiyamike Mulungu amene amatipambanitsa mwa Ambuye athu Yesu Khristu.
58Choncho, abale anga okondedwa imani njii. Musasunthike ndi chilichonse. Nthawi zonse mudzipereke kwathunthu ku ntchito ya Ambuye, chifukwa mukudziwa kuti ntchito zanu mwa Ambuye sizili zopanda phindu.
