1 Corinthians 15 – Shortcode

The Good News

• 1 Now brothers, I declare to you the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you also received and in which you *stand,
• 2 through which you’re also saved by the word that I proclaimed to you if you hold fast to it, otherwise^fn“otherwise you believed in vain” There are two ways to take this clause, centering on how to translate the phrase “ἐκτός εἰ μή” (here translated “otherwise”).  The word “ἐκτός” means “outside” or “without” or “except”, while “εἰ μή” when used together this way means “unless” or “except”.  The first way to take this clause – used in the BOS Bible – is to translate it “without unless”, (shortened to “otherwise” for readability”) and the meaning is clear: their faith is in vain unless they hold fast to the good news.  The second way to take this clause is to translate it “unless except”, which is typically taken to mean that if the good news that Paul proclaimed isn’t true, then their faith is in vain. The first view has a much stronger contextual argument in this passage (and is also supported by Romans 11:17-24, especially verse 22) and thus was chosen here. you believed in vain.
• 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that the Anointed died on account of^fn“on account of” this indicates “the impelling or moving cause” for an action according to Thayer’s lexicon, which also specifies that meaning in this verse.  (i.e. He died in order to solve man’s sin problem.) The primary nuance of the word is “for the benefit of”, or “for the sake of” in most contexts. our sins in accordance with the scriptures,
• 4 and that He was buried, and that He was *raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,
• 5 and that He was seen by Cephas,^fn“Cephas” is Aramaic for “a rock”, and is another name for the disciple Peter. and then the twelve.
• 6 Afterwards, He was seen by more than five hundred brothers at once, many of whom remain until now, but some were put to sleep.
• 7 Afterwards, He was seen by James, then by all the emissaries.
• 8 And last of all – as to one born at the wrong time – He was also seen by me.
• 9 For I’m the least of the emissaries, who isn’t worthy to be called an emissary because I persecuted the church assembly of God.
• 10 But I am what I am by God’s grace,^fn“Grace” The Greek word here is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace” or “gift”.  It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place.  The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis).  A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron.  The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful”.  Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation.  A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons.  The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met.  Christian Grace and Faith is well pictured by this system.  The Heavenly Patron (God the Father) freely gave a gift (Jesus’ blood), and the clients who accept it (Christians) are expected to “be faithful” out of gratitude. and His grace to me didn’t become worthless.   But I toiled far more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
• 11 Therefore we preach like this – whether I or they – and you believed like this.

The Necessity of Resurrection

• 12 Now, if the Anointed is proclaimed – that He was *raised from the dead – how can some among you say that there’s no resurrection of the dead?
• 13 But if there’s no resurrection of the dead, not even the Anointed has been raised.
• 14 And if the Anointed hasn’t been raised, then our proclamation is worthless and your faith is worthless.
• 15 Then we’re even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that He raised the Anointed, whom He didn’t raise if indeed the dead aren’t raised.
• 16 For if the dead aren’t raised, not even the Anointed has been raised.
• 17 And if the Anointed hasn’t been raised, your faith is useless; you’re still in your sins.
• 18 Then also, the men who were put to sleep in the Anointed perished.
• 19 If we’re *hoping in the Anointed in this life only, we’re more pitiable than all men.
• 20 And now, the Anointed has been raised from the dead, the firstfruit of the men who have been put to sleep.
• 21 For since death came through a man,^fnquotation/allusion to Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-6 resurrection of the dead also came through a man.
• 22 For just as in Adam all die, thus also in the Anointed, all will be made alive,^CFParallel teachings: Romans 5:15-19
• 23 but each in his own order: the Anointed as the firstfruit,^fnquotation/allusion to Leviticus 23:9-10 then the men belonging to the Anointed at His coming.
• 24 Then comes the end, when He hands the kingdom over to the God and Father, when He has abolished every ruler, and every authority and power.
• 25 For He must reign until He puts all the enemies under His feet.^fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 110:1 (also quoted/alluded to by Matt 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-35; Heb 1:13)
• 26 The last enemy to be abolished is death.
• 27 For He put all things in subjection under His feet.^fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 8:6 (also quoted/alluded to by Heb 2:6-8; Eph 1:22)  But when He said that “He has put all things in subjection”, it’s obvious that the One who put all things in subjection to Him is the exception.
• 28 And when all things are made subject to Him, then even the Son Himself will be made subject to the One who made all things subject to Him, so that God might be all in all.
• 29 So then, what will the men being immersed for the dead do?  If the dead aren’t actually raised, why are they even immersed for them?
• 30 Also, why are we in peril every hour?
• 31 As sure as my boast in you, brothers – which I have in our Lord Jesus the Anointed  – I die every day.
• 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for man’s rewards, what’s the benefit for me?  If the dead aren’t raised, we should eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.^fnquotation/allusion to Isaiah 22:13
• 33 Don’t be misled; bad companions ruinously corrupt^fn“ruinously corrupt” is one word in Greek.  It literally means to corrupt, rot, or spoil something so that it wastes away to ruin.  It’s typically associated with moral corruption/decay leading to ruin. good moral habits.^fn“moral habits” The Greek word here refers to the habits, customs, and behavior patterns that a person exercises on a daily basis.  It especially refers to ones that are good, moral, and ethical. The Greek word here is “ἦθος” (éthos), which is the root of our word “ethics”.
• 34 Sober up righteously and don’t sin, for some have ignorance of God; I say this to your shame.

The Manner of Resurrection

(Parallel teachings: Romans 5:12-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
(Thematic parallels: Philippians 3:20-21; 2 Corinthians 5:1-5)

• 35 But some will say: “How are the dead raised?”  And: “What kind of body do they come with?”
• 36 You fool.  What you sow doesn’t come to life unless it dies.
• 37 And what you sow isn’t the body that it will become after you sow, but a bare seed.  (Perhaps of wheat or one of the others.) ^CFParallel teachings: John 12:24
• 38 But God gives it a body just as He willed, and He gives each of the seeds its own body.
• 39 Not all flesh is the same flesh, but indeed there’s one of men, but another flesh of cattle, yet another flesh of birds, and another of fish.
• 40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies.  But indeed, the glory of the heavenly is one kind, but the glory of the earthly another.
• 41 The sun’s glory is one kind, and the moon’s glory another, and the stars’ glory another. (For star differs from star in glory.)
• 42 The resurrection of the dead is also like this.  It’s sown in decay, it’s raised in incorruptibility.
• 43 It’s sown in shame, it’s raised in glory.  It’s sown in weakness, it’s raised in power.
• 44 It’s sown a natural body, it’s raised a spiritual body.  If there’s a natural body, there’s also a spiritual one.
• 45 And as it’s *written: “the first man – Adam – became a living soul;“^fnquotation/allusion to Genesis 2:7 “soul” this Greek word (ψυχή/psuché) is sometimes translated “being” here. It refers to the animating force of living things, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Rev 8:9; see also Gen 1 and footnotes). It’s virtually identical in meaning to the Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. It’s frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has some overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). See also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23. but the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
• 46 But the spiritual wasn’t first, but the natural; afterwards came the spiritual.
• 47 The first man was made from the dust of the earth;^fnquotation/allusion to Genesis 2:7 the second man is [the Lord] from heaven.
• 48 As the man made of dust was, so also the men made of dust are; and as the man of heaven is, so also the men of heaven are.
• 49 And just as we bore the image of the man made of dust,^fnquotation/allusion to Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, 5:3 [we will]^fn“we will” many later manuscripts have “we should” here also bear the image of the man of heaven.
• 50 Now I declare this, brothers: flesh and blood isn’t able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor is decay able to inherit incorruptibility.
• 51 Behold, I’m telling you a now-revealed mystery.^fn“now-revealed mysteries” is one word in Greek. It originally referred to secret knowledge reserved for initiates of the ancient mystery religions; i.e. “members only” knowledge that was revealed to insiders, but concealed from everyone outside. Paul uses it for secrets that God kept hidden until the work of Jesus, after which they were revealed in the good news (aka, the gospel). We won’t all be put to sleep, but we’ll all [indeed] be changed
• 52 in an instant – in the blink of an eye – at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
• 53 For this corruptible body must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and this mortal body clothe itself with immortality.
• 54 And when this corruptible body has clothed itself with incorruptibility and this mortal body has clothed itself with immortality, then it will happen, the word which is *written:
  • “Death was swallowed in victory.“^fnquotation/allusion to Isaiah 25:8 (also quoted/alluded to by Rev 21:4; 7:17)
  • 55 “O death, where is your victory? 
  • O death, where is your sting?“^fnquotation/allusion to Hosea 13:14
• 56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
• 57 But thanks^fn“thanks” is literally “grace”; see footnote on verse 10 be to God, the One giving us the victory through our Lord, Jesus the Anointed!
• 58 Therefore my beloved brothers, become steadfast, immovable, and always overflowing in the Lord’s work, *knowing that your exhausting labor isn’t worthless in the Lord.