1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to remember the Good News I told you. You received that Good News and continue to base your life on it. 2 That Good News, the message you heard from me, is YAHUSHA’S way to deliver you. But you must continue believing it. If you don’t, you believed for nothing.
3 I gave you the message that I received. I told you the most important truths: that Messiah died for our sins, as the Scriptures say: 4 that He was buried and was raised to life on the third day, as the Scriptures say; 5 and that He appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve main Followers. 6 After that Messiah appeared to more than 500 other believers at the same time. Most of them are still living today, but some have died. 7 Then He appeared to James and later to all the followers. 8 Last of all, He appeared to me. I was different, like a baby born before the normal time.
9 All the other followers are greater than I am. I say this because I persecuted the Fellowship of YAHUSHA. That is why I’m not even good enough to be called a follower. 10 But, because of YAHUSHA’S favour, that is what I am. And His favour that He gave me was not wasted. I worked harder than all the other followers. But I was not really the one working. It was YAHUSHA’S favour that was with me. 11 So then it’s not important if I told you YAHUSHA’S message or if it was the other followers who told you—we all tell people the same message, and this is what you believed.
12 We tell everyone that Messiah was raised from the dead. So why do some of you say that people will not be raised from the dead? 13 If no one will ever be raised from death, then Messiah has never been raised. 14 And if Messiah has never been raised, then the message we speak is worth nothing. And your belief is worth nothing also. 15 Then we will be guilty of lying about YAHUAH also, because we have told people about Him, saying that He raised Messiah from the dead. And if no one is raised from the dead, then YAHUAH never raised Messiah from death. 16 If those who have died are not raised, then Messiah has not been raised either. 17 And if Messiah has not been raised from death, then your belief is for nothing, and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 And those in Messiah who have already fallen asleep (died) are lost. 19 If our hope in Messiah is only for this life here on earth, then people should feel more sorry for us than for anyone else.
20 But Messiah really has been raised from the dead—the firstfruit one of all those who will be raised. 21And just as death came into the world through one man, now there is resurrection from death through another man. 22 I mean that in Adam all of us die. And in the same way, in Messiah all of us will be made alive again. 23 But everyone will be raised to life in the right order. Messiah was firstfruit (to be raised first), then, when Messiah comes again, those who belong to Him will be raised to life also. 24 Then the end will come and Messiah will destroy all rulers, authorities, and powers, giving the kingdom to YAHUAH the Father.
25 Messiah must rule until He’s puts all enemies under his control. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed will be death. 27 As the Scriptures say, “He has put everything under his feet.” And when it says that “everything” is put under Him, it’s clear that this does not include YAHUAH Himself. YAHUAH is the one putting everything under Messiah’s feet. 28 After everything has been put under Messiah, then the Son Himself will be put under YAHUAH. For YAHUAH is the one who puts everything under Messiah. And Messiah will be put under YAHUAH so that YAHUAH will be all in all and the complete ruler over everything.
29 If no one will ever be raised from death, then what will the people do who are immersed for those who have died? If the dead are never raised, then why are people immersed for them?
30 And what about us? Why do we put ourselves in danger every hour? 31 I face death every day. That is true, brothers and sisters, just as it is true that I am proud of what you are because of Messiah YAHUSHA our Master. 32 I fought wild animals in Ephesus. If I did that only for human reasons, then I have gained nothing. If we are not raised from death, “Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we die.” 33 Don’t be fooled: “Bad friends will ruin good habits.” 34 Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know YAHUSHA. I say this to shame you.
35 But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?” 36 These are stupid questions. When you plant something, it must die in the ground before it can live and grow. 37 And when you plant something, what you plant does not have the same “body” that it will have later. What you plant is only a seed, maybe wheat or something else. 38 But YAHUSHA gives it the body that He has planned for it, and He gives each kind of seed its own body. 39 All things made of flesh are not the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds have another, and fish have yet another kind. 40 Also there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the beauty of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the beauty of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon has another kind, and the stars have another. And each star is different in its beauty.
42 It will be the same when those who have died are raised to life. The body that is “planted” in the grave will ruin and decay, but it will be raised to a life that cannot be destroyed. 43 When the body is “planted,” it is without respect. But when it is raised, it will be great and esteemed. When the body is “planted,” it is weak. But when it is raised, it will be full of power. 44 The body that is “planted” is a physical body. When it is raised, it will be a supernatural body.
There is a physical body. So there is also a spiritual body. 45 As the Scriptures say, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam is a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual man did not come first. It was the physical man that came first, then came the spiritual. 47 The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. 48 All people belong to the earth. They are like that first man of earth. But those who belong to heaven are like that man of heaven. 49 We were made like that man of earth, so we will also be made like that man of heaven.
50 I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Our bodies of flesh and blood cannot have a part in YAHUSHA’S kingdom. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins. 51 But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. 52 In the twinkling of an eye this will happen, when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we will all be changed. 53 This body corrupt that ruins must clothe itself with something that will never ruin - incorruptible. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die. 54 So this body that ruins will clothe itself with that which never ruins. And this body that dies will clothe itself with that which never dies. When this happens, the Scriptures will be made true:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O’ death, where is your victory? Where is your power to hurt and overcome?”
56 Death’s power to hurt and overcome is sin, and the power of sin is the Divine Law. 57 But we thank YAHUAH who gives us the victory through our Master YAHUSHA MESSIAH!
58 So, my dear Brothers and Sisters, stand strong. Don’t let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Master. You know that your work in the Master is never wasted.
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