Bible in Basic English
And if that is so, your faith is of no effect; you are still in your sins.
And, in addition, the dead in Christ have gone to destruction.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most unhappy.
But now Christ has truly come back from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are sleeping.
For as by man came death, so by man there is a coming back from the dead.
For as in Adam death comes to all, so in Christ will all come back to life.
But every man in his right order: Christ the first-fruits; then those who are Christ's at his coming.
Then comes the end, when he will give up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have put an end to all rule and to all authority and power.
For his rule will go on till he has put all those who are against him under his feet.
The last power to come to an end is death.
For, as it says, He has put all things under his feet. But when he says, All things are put under him, it is clear that it is not said about him who put all things under him.
And when all things have been put under him, then will the Son himself be under him who put all things under him, so that God may be all in all.
Again, what will they do who are given baptism for the dead? if the dead do not come back at all, why are people given baptism for them?
And why are we in danger every hour?
Yes, truly, by your pride in me, my brothers in Christ Jesus our Lord, my life is one long death.
If, after the way of men, I was fighting with beasts at Ephesus, what profit is it to me? If the dead do not come to life again, let us take our pleasure in feasting, for tomorrow we come to an end.
Do not be tricked by false words: evil company does damage to good behaviour.
Be awake to righteousness and keep yourselves from sin; for some have no knowledge of God: I say this to put you to shame.
But someone will say, How do the dead come back? and with what sort of body do they come?
Foolish man, it is necessary for the seed which you put into the earth to undergo death in order that it may come to life again:
And when you put it into the earth, you do not put in the body which it will be, but only the seed, of grain or some other sort of plant;
But God gives it a body, as it is pleasing to him, and to every seed its special body.
All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one flesh of men, another of beasts, another of birds, and another of fishes.
And there are bodies of heaven and bodies of earth, but the glory of the one is different from that of the other.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for the glory of one star is different from that of another.
So is it with the coming back from the dead. It is planted in death; it comes again in life:
It is planted in shame; it comes again in glory: feeble when it is planted, it comes again in power:
It is planted a natural body; it comes again as a body of the spirit. If there is a natural body, there is equally a body of the spirit.
And so it is said, The first man Adam was a living soul. The last Adam is a life-giving spirit.
But that which is natural comes before that which is of the spirit.
The first man is from the earth, and of the earth: the second man is from heaven.
Those who are of the earth are like the man who was from the earth: and those who are of heaven are like the one from heaven.
And in the same way as we have taken on us the image of the man from the earth, so we will take on us the image of the one from heaven.
Now I say this, my brothers, that it is not possible for flesh and blood to have a part in the kingdom of God; and death may not have a part in life.
See, I am giving you the revelation of a secret: we will not all come to the sleep of death, but we will all be changed.
In a second, in the shutting of an eye, at the sound of the last horn: for at that sound the dead will come again, free for ever from the power of death, and we will be changed.
For this body which comes to destruction will be made free from the power of death, and the man who is under the power of death will put on eternal life.
But when this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, Death is overcome by life.
O death, where is your power? O death, where are your pains?
The pain of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:
But praise be to God who gives us strength to overcome through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For this cause, my dear brothers, be strong in purpose and unmoved, ever giving yourselves to the work of the Lord, because you are certain that your work is not without effect in the Lord.
— 1 Corinthians 15:17-1964, Bible in Basic English
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ's, at his coming. Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For, "He put all things in subjection under his feet." But when he says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him. When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all. Or else what will they do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead aren't raised at all, why then are they baptized for the dead? Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Don't be deceived! "Evil companionships corrupt good morals." Wake up righteously, and don't sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. But someone will say, "How are the dead raised?" and, "With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies. That which you sow, you don't sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind. But God gives it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However that which is spiritual isn't first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let's also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can't inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible will have put on incorruption, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
And if Christ did not come again from the dead, then our good news and your faith in it are of no effect.
Yes, and we are seen to be false witnesses of God; because we gave witness of God that by his power Christ came again from the dead: which is not true if there is no coming back from the dead.
For if it is not possible for the dead to come to life again, then Christ has not come to life again:
And if that is so, your faith is of no effect; you are still in your sins.
And, in addition, the dead in Christ have gone to destruction.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most unhappy.
But now Christ has truly come back from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are sleeping.
For as by man came death, so by man there is a coming back from the dead.
For as in Adam death comes to all, so in Christ will all come back to life.
But every man in his right order: Christ the first-fruits; then those who are Christ's at his coming.
Then comes the end, when he will give up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have put an end to all rule and to all authority and power.
For his rule will go on till he has put all those who are against him under his feet.
The last power to come to an end is death.
For, as it says, He has put all things under his feet. But when he says, All things are put under him, it is clear that it is not said about him who put all things under him.
And when all things have been put under him, then will the Son himself be under him who put all things under him, so that God may be all in all.
Again, what will they do who are given baptism for the dead? if the dead do not come back at all, why are people given baptism for them?
And why are we in danger every hour?
Yes, truly, by your pride in me, my brothers in Christ Jesus our Lord, my life is one long death.
If, after the way of men, I was fighting with beasts at Ephesus, what profit is it to me? If the dead do not come to life again, let us take our pleasure in feasting, for tomorrow we come to an end.
Do not be tricked by false words: evil company does damage to good behaviour.
Be awake to righteousness and keep yourselves from sin; for some have no knowledge of God: I say this to put you to shame.
But someone will say, How do the dead come back? and with what sort of body do they come?
Foolish man, it is necessary for the seed which you put into the earth to undergo death in order that it may come to life again:
And when you put it into the earth, you do not put in the body which it will be, but only the seed, of grain or some other sort of plant;
But God gives it a body, as it is pleasing to him, and to every seed its special body.
All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one flesh of men, another of beasts, another of birds, and another of fishes.
And there are bodies of heaven and bodies of earth, but the glory of the one is different from that of the other.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for the glory of one star is different from that of another.
So is it with the coming back from the dead. It is planted in death; it comes again in life:
It is planted in shame; it comes again in glory: feeble when it is planted, it comes again in power:
It is planted a natural body; it comes again as a body of the spirit. If there is a natural body, there is equally a body of the spirit.
And so it is said, The first man Adam was a living soul. The last Adam is a life-giving spirit.
But that which is natural comes before that which is of the spirit.
The first man is from the earth, and of the earth: the second man is from heaven.
Those who are of the earth are like the man who was from the earth: and those who are of heaven are like the one from heaven.
And in the same way as we have taken on us the image of the man from the earth, so we will take on us the image of the one from heaven.
Now I say this, my brothers, that it is not possible for flesh and blood to have a part in the kingdom of God; and death may not have a part in life.
See, I am giving you the revelation of a secret: we will not all come to the sleep of death, but we will all be changed.
In a second, in the shutting of an eye, at the sound of the last horn: for at that sound the dead will come again, free for ever from the power of death, and we will be changed.
For this body which comes to destruction will be made free from the power of death, and the man who is under the power of death will put on eternal life.
But when this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, Death is overcome by life.
O death, where is your power? O death, where are your pains?
The pain of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:
But praise be to God who gives us strength to overcome through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For this cause, my dear brothers, be strong in purpose and unmoved, ever giving yourselves to the work of the Lord, because you are certain that your work is not without effect in the Lord.