The Word Am I

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

Geneva Bible 1599

- Chapter 15 -

1
Moreouer brethren, I declare vnto you the Gospel, which I preached vnto you, which ye haue also receiued, and wherein ye continue,
2
And whereby ye are saued, if ye keepe in memorie, after what maner I preached it vnto you, except ye haue beleeued in vaine.
3
For first of all, I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued, how that Christ died for our sinnes, according to the Scriptures,
4
And that he was buried, and that he arose the third day, according to the Scriptures,
5
And that he was seene of Cephas, then of the twelue.
6
After that, he was seene of more then fiue hudreth brethren at once: whereof many remaine vnto this present, and some also are asleepe.
7
After that, he was seene of Iames: then of all the Apostles.
8
And last of all he was seene also of me, as of one borne out of due time.
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For I am the least of the Apostles, which am not meete to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.
10
But by the grace of God, I am that I am: and his grace which is in me, was not in vaine: but I laboured more aboundantly then they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me.
11
Wherefore, whether it were I, or they, so we preach, and so haue ye beleeued.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12
Now if it be preached, that Christ is risen from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13
For if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vaine, and your faith is also vaine.
15
And we are found also false witnesses of God: for we haue testified of God, that he hath raised vp Christ: whome he hath not raised vp, if so be the dead be not raised.
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For if the dead be not raised, then is Christ not raised.
17
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vaine: ye are yet in your sinnes.
18
And so they which are a sleepe in Christ, are perished.
19
If in this life onely wee haue hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable.

The Order of Resurrection

20
But nowe is Christ risen from the dead, and was made the first fruites of them that slept.
21
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22
For as in Adam all die, euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue,
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But euery man in his owne order: the first fruites is Christ, afterward, they that are of Christ, at his comming shall rise againe.
24
Then shalbe the end, when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God, euen the Father, when he hath put downe all rule, and all authoritie and power.
25
For he must reigne till hee hath put all his enemies vnder his feete.
26
The last enemie that shalbe destroyed, is death.
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For he hath put downe all things vnder his feete. (And when he saith that all things are subdued to him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put downe all things vnder him.)
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And when all things shalbe subdued vnto him, then shall the Sonne also himselfe be subiect vnto him, that did subdue all things vnder him, that God may be all in all.
29
Els what shall they doe which are baptized for dead? if the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for dead?
30
Why are wee also in ieopardie euery houre?
31
By your reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus our Lord, I die dayly.
32
If I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after ye maner of men, what aduantageth it me, if the dead be not raised vp? let vs eate and drinke: for to morowe we shall die.
33
Be not deceiued: euill speakings corrupt good maners.
34
Awake to liue righteously, and sinne not: for some haue not ye knowledge of God, I speake this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

35
But some man will say, Howe are the dead raised vp? and with what body come they foorth?
36
O foole, that which thou sowest, is not quickened, except it die.
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And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shalbe, but bare corne as it falleth, of wheat, or of some other.
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But God giueth it a body at his pleasure, euen to euery seede his owne body,
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All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beastes, and another of fishes, and another of birdes.
40
There are also heauenly bodies, and earthly bodies: but the glorie of the heauenly is one, and the glorie of the earthly is another.
41
There is another glorie of the sunne, and another glorie of the moone, and another glorie of the starres: for one starre differeth from another starre in glorie.
42
So also is the resurrection of the dead. The bodie is sowen in corruption, and is raysed in incorruption.
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It is sowen in dishonour, and is raysed in glory: it is sowen in weakenesse, and is raysed in power.
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It is sowen a naturall body, and is raysed a spirituall body: there is a naturall body, and there is a spirituall body.
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As it is also written, The first man Adam was made a liuing soule: and the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.
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Howbeit that was not first which is spirituall: but that which is naturall, and afterward that which is spirituall.
47
The first man is of the earth, earthly: the second man is the Lord from heauen.
48
As is the earthly, such are they that are earthly: and as is the heauenly, such are they also that are heauenly.
49
And as we haue borne the image of the earthly, so shall we beare the image of the heauenly.

Where, O Death, Is Your Victory?

(Hosea 13:9–14)
50
This say I, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherite the kingdome of God, neither doeth corruption inherite incorruption.
51
Behold, I shewe you a secret thing, We shall not all sleepe, but we shall all be changed,
52
In a moment, in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall blow, and the dead shalbe raysed vp incorruptible, and we shalbe changed.
53
For this corruptible must put on incorruption: and this mortall must put on immortalitie.
54
So when this corruptible hath put on incorruption, and this mortall hath put on immortalitie, then shalbe brought to passe the saying that is written, Death is swallowed vp into victorie.
55
O death where is thy sting? O graue where is thy victorie?
56
The sting of death is sinne: and ye strength of sinne is the Lawe.
57
But thankes be vnto God, which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ.
58
Therefore my beloued brethren, be ye stedfast, vnmoueable, aboundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord, forasmuch as ye knowe that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord.