1Now I am declaring to you, brethren, the same gospel that I proclaimed to you, which you also received, and in which you are now standing; 2By which you are also being saved, if you are holding fast the words that I proclaimed to you; otherwise you have believed in vain.

3For in the first place, I delivered to you what I also had received: that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; 4And that He was buried; and that He was raised the third day, according to the Scriptures; 5And that He appeared to Cephas, and then to the twelve. 6Then He appeared to over five hundred brethren at one time, of whom the greater part are alive until now, but some have fallen asleep. 7Next He appeared to James; then to all the apostles; 8And last of all He appeared to me also, as one who was born of a miscarriage. 9For I am the least of the apostles, and am not fit even 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 toward me has not been in vain; rather, I have labored more abundantly than all of them; however, it was not I, but the grace of God with me. 11Now then, whether I or they, so we preach, and so you have believed.

12But if Christ is being preached, that He rose from the dead, how is it that some among you are saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13For if there is no resurrection from the dead, neither has Christ been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain. 15And we are also found to be false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised Christ, Whom He did not raise, if indeed the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17But if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins, 18And those who have fallen asleep in Christ have then perished. 19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most miserable.

20But now Christ has been raised from the dead; He has become the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the Firstfruit; then, those who are Christ's at His coming. 24Afterwards the end comes, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to Him Who is God and Father, when He shall have put an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25For it is ordained that He reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when it is said that all things have been put in subjection, it is clearly evident that it does not include Him Who put all things in subjection under Him. 28But when He has put all things in subjection to Him, then shall the Son Himself also be subject to Him Who put all things in subjection to Him, so that God may be all in all.

29Otherwise, what shall they do who have been baptized for the resurrection of the dead, if the dead are not raised at all? Why then are they baptized for the resurrection of the dead? 30Why are we also in danger every hour? 31I die daily by our boasting which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If I fought as a man with beasts in Ephesus, what did it profit me, if the dead are not raised? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33Do not be deceived; evil companionship corrupts good behavior. 34Awake to righteousness, and do not sin, for some of you do not have the knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

35Nevertheless, someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what body do they come?" 36Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And what you sow is not the body that shall be; rather, it is bare grain--it may be of wheat, or one of the other grains; 38And God gives it a body according to His will, and to each of the seeds its own body. 39Likewise, not all flesh is the same flesh. Rather, there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another of fish, and another of birds. 40And there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is different, and the glory of the earthly is different. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; 45Accordingly, it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam became an ever-living Spirit." 46However, the spiritual was not first, but the natural--then the spiritual. 47The first man is of the earth--made of dust. The second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48As is the one made of dust, so also are all those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly one, so also are all those who are heavenly. 49And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly One.

50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54Now when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? 56Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58So then, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.