1 Corinthians 15:36
New International Version
How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

New Living Translation
What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first.

English Standard Version
You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

Berean Standard Bible
You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

Berean Literal Bible
You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

King James Bible
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

New King James Version
Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies.

New American Standard Bible
You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

NASB 1995
You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

NASB 1977
You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

Legacy Standard Bible
You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

Amplified Bible
You fool! Every time you plant seed you sow something that does not come to life [germinating, springing up and growing] unless it first dies.

Christian Standard Bible
You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Foolish one! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

American Standard Version
Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Fool! The seed that you plant will not live unless it dies.

Contemporary English Version
Don't be foolish. A seed must die before it can sprout from the ground.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Senseless man, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die first.

English Revised Version
Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened, except it die:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You fool! The seed you plant doesn't come to life unless it dies first.

Good News Translation
You fool! When you plant a seed in the ground, it does not sprout to life unless it dies.

International Standard Version
You fool! The seed you plant does not come to life unless it dies,

Literal Standard Version
Unwise! You—what you sow is not quickened except it may die;

Majority Standard Bible
You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

New American Bible
You fool! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies.

NET Bible
Fool! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies.

New Revised Standard Version
Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

New Heart English Bible
You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not vivified except it die:

Weymouth New Testament
Foolish man! the seed you yourself sow has no life given to it unless it first dies;

World English Bible
You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies.

Young's Literal Translation
unwise! thou -- what thou dost sow is not quickened except it may die;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Resurrection Body
35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else.…

Cross References
Luke 11:40
You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well?

John 12:24
Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

1 Corinthians 15:37
And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else.

James 2:20
O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?


Treasury of Scripture

You fool, that which you sow is not quickened, except it die:

fool.

Luke 12:20
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Luke 24:25
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

Romans 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

that.

John 12:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

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Alive Death Die Dies Earth Except First Fool Foolish Life Necessary Order Quickened Seed Sow Sowest Thyself Undergo Unless Unwise
1 Corinthians 15
1. By Christ's resurrection,
12. he proves the necessity of our resurrection,
16. against all such as deny the resurrection of the body.
21. The fruit,
35. and the manner thereof;
51. and of the resurrection of those who shall be found alive at the last day.














(36) Thou fool.--Better, Fool, or more literally, Senseless one. The word in the Greek has not the sense of opprobrium conveyed in the word translated "fool" in Matthew 5:22; Matthew 23:17; Matthew 23:19. You who with your own hand sow seed, ask such a question as that! The Apostle now proceeds to show, by the analogies in Nature, how a resurrection of a body is possible, how substantial identity may be preserved under variation of form. The Apostle does not here prove anything. Analogy cannot ever be regarded as logically conclusive as an argument. The object of analogy is to show how a difficulty is not insuperable. The doctrine of the resurrection has been logically established. A difficulty is suggested as to how it is possible. Analogy shows that the same difficulty exists in theory in other directions where we actually see it surmounted in fact. It is most important to bear this in mind, as some writers, forgetful of the difference between a logical argument and an illustration from analogy, have regarded some of the Apostle's "arguments" in these verses as inconclusive. The fact of a buried seed rising into flower does not and cannot prove that man will rise; but it does show that the objection suggested in the question, "How are the dead raised up?" is not a practical difficulty.

We have in these verses three illustrations of the preservation of identity under change of form:--(1) Seeds growing into flowers and fruit; (2) flesh in the variety of men, beasts, fishes, and birds; (3) heavenly and earthly bodies in infinite variety of form and of glory.

Verse 36. - Thou fool. The expression is too strong, and it is unfortunate that in English it seems to run contrary to the distinct censure of such language by our Lord. But here the Greek word is aphron, "O unreasonable!" (the nominative is used for the vocative); Vulgate, insipiens; Wickliffe, "unwise man." It is merely a reproach for neglecting to exercise the understanding. The word "fool!" (more) forbidden by our Lord (Matthew 5:22) has quite a different meaning, and implies quite a different tone. It involves moral depravity or obstinacy (Matthew 7:26; Matthew 23:17, etc.). The milder aphron is used in 2 Corinthians 11:16, 19; 2 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 5:17; and by our Lord himself. That which thou sowest. The "thou" is emphatic. It merely means "Even the analogy of human sowing ought to remove thy difficulty." The growth of the seed shows that there may be personal identity under a complete change of material conditions. Is not quickened, except it die. The metaphor is used by our Lord (John 12:24, "Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit"). It is also found in the Talmud.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
You
σὺ (sy)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

fool!
ἄφρων (aphrōn)
Adjective - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 878: Senseless, foolish, inconsiderate. Properly, mindless, i.e. Stupid, ignorant, egotistic, rash, or unbelieving.

What
(ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

you sow
σπείρεις (speireis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4687: To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.

does not come to life
ζωοποιεῖται (zōopoieitai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2227: To make that which was dead to live, cause to live, quicken. From the same as zoon and poieo; tovitalize.

unless
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

it dies.
ἀποθάνῃ (apothanē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 599: To be dying, be about to die, wither, decay. From apo and thnesko; to die off.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 15:36 You foolish one that which you yourself (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 15:35
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