PART IV.

(CHAPS. XV., XVI.)

CORINTHIAN AND PAULINE VIEWS OF THE

RESURRECTION. — CORINTH AND JERUSA

LEM ONE CHURCH OF CHRIST, ONE

FAMILY OF GOD. — CONCLUSION.

PART IV.

(CHAPTERS XV., xvI.)

SECTION I.

STATE OF OPINION ON THE DOCTRINE OF A RESURRECTION. —

GIES OF NATURE. CELESTIAL BODIES. BEFORE CORRUPTION CAN INHERIT INCORRUPTION, THE NECESSITY OF CHANGE; AND THE NEW BIRTHS OF DEATH.

CHAP. XV. 1–58.

1 AND I declare unto you, Brethren, the Gospel which

I preached to you, which also ye received, in which also ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye hold by the word which I preached to you; otherwise ye have believed in vain. For, first, I delivered to you that which I received, that Christ died on account of our sins accord4 ing to the Scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he was raised up on the third day, according to the Scrip5 tures; and that he was seen by Cephas, afterwards by 6 the twelve. Afterwards he was seen by more than five

hundred brethren at once, of whom the most remain till 7 this time, but some of them have fallen asleep. Afterwards he was seen by James; then by all the Apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen by me also, as by one born 9 out of due time. For I am the least of the Apostles, as one not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I perse10 cuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace which was towards me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet 11 not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether, 12 then, I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed, But

if Christ be preached that he was raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of 13 the dead? If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is 14 Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then both 15 vain is our preaching, and vain is your believing. And

we are found also false witnesses for God, since we have testified concerning God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up, if so it be that the dead are not raised up. 16 For if the dead are not raised up, then has Christ not 17 been raised up. But if Christ has not been raised up, 18 your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. And then they that have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of 20 all men most to be pitied. But now has Christ been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those that slept. 21 For since through man was death, through man also was 22 a resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so 23 also in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in

his own order: Christ the first fruits; then they that are 24 Christ's at his coming. Then is the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and 25 power; for he must reign till he hath put all enemies

26 under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed 27 is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But

when he saith that all things are put under him, it is man

ifest that it is with the exception of him who did put all 28 things under him. And when all things are put under

29

him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that did put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Else, what shall they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead are not raised at all? Why then are they 30 baptized for them? And why are we in danger every 31 hour? By your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus 32 our Lord, I die daily. If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, as a man, what advantageth it me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow 33 we die. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt 34 good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not a knowledge of God: I speak to your shame.

35

But some one will say, How are the dead raised up? 36 and with what body do they come ? Thou inconsiderate! that which thou sowest is not quickened, unless it die. 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body

which shall be, but bare grain, it may be of wheat, or of 38 some other grain. But God giveth to it a body as it hath 39 pleased him, and to each of the seeds its own body. All

flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one flesh of men, another 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 41 terrestrial another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars, 42 for star differeth from star in glory. So also is the resur

rection of the dead. It is sown in corruption: it is raised