32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. [1]
33 Be not deceived: evil company corrupteth good habits.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised? and with what body do they come?
36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not made alive, except it die:
37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, perhaps of wheat, or of some other grain :
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed its own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a living spirit.
46 However that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is from the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, 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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [2]
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
CHAP. 16.
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2 Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no collections when I come.
3 And when I come, whomever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality to Jerusalem. [3]
4 And if it be proper that I should go also, they shall go with me.
5 Now I will come to you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I am to pass through Macedonia.
6 And it may be that I will abide, and even winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey wherever I go.
7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great door and effectual is opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
10 Now if Timothy come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do .
11 Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come to me: for I look for him with the brethren.
12 As concerning our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come to you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.
13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, acquit yourselves like men, be strong.
14 Let all your things be done with charity.
15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
16 That ye submit yourselves to such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
