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.
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.
