Kufufuka Kwa Kristo

15 Na sasa napenda kuwakumbusha ndugu zangu kuhusu Injili niliyowahubiria, mkaipokea na ambayo ndio msimamo wenu. Mnaoko lewa kwa Injili hii ikiwa mnashikilia imara neno nililowahubiria. Vinginevyo mtakuwa mmeamini bure. Kwa maana niliyopokea ndio niliyowapa ninyi, nayo ni muhimu sana: kwamba Kristo alikufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, kama ilivy oandikwa katika Maandiko. Na kwamba alizikwa na kufufuka siku ya tatu, kama ilivyoandikwa katika Maandiko. Na kwamba alimto kea Kefa, kisha akawatokea wale kumi na wawili. Baadaye akawa tokea ndugu waamini zaidi ya mia tano kwa pamoja, na wengi wao wangali hai, ingawa wengine wameshakufa. Kisha akamtokea Yakobo, na ndipo akawatokea mitume wote. Na mwisho wa wote, akanitokea na mimi, ambaye ni kama nilizaliwa kwa hali isiyo ya kawaida.

Kwa maana mimi ni mdogo kuliko mitume wote, nisiyestahili kuitwa mtume kwa sababu nililitesa kanisa la Mungu. 10 Lakini kwa neema ya Mungu nimekuwa hivi nilivyo, na neema yake kwangu haikuwa bure. Badala yake, nilifanya kazi kuliko mitume wote, ingawaje haikuwa mimi bali ni neema ya Mungu iliyokuwa pamoja nami. 11 Hivyo basi, kama ilikuwa ni mimi au ni wao, haya ndio tuliyohubiri, na haya ndio mliyoamini.

Kufufuka Kwa Wafu

12 Basi kama tumehubiri ya kwamba Kristo alifufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu, inakuwaje baadhi yenu mnasema hakuna ufufuo wa wafu? 13 Lakini kama hakuna ufufuo wa wafu, basi Kristo hakufufuliwa. 14 Na ikiwa Kristo hakufufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu, mahubiri yetu ni bure na imani yenu ni bure. 15 Na zaidi ya hayo, tunaonekana kuwa tunamshuhudia Mungu uongo, kwa sababu tumeshuhudia kumhusu Mungu ya kuwa alimfufua Kristo kutoka kwa wafu. Na kumbe hakumfu fua, kama kweli wafu hawafufuliwi. 16 Kwa kuwa kama wafu hawa fufuliwi, basi hata Kristo hajafufuliwa. 17 Na ikiwa Kristo hajafufuliwa, imani yenu ni bure; nanyi bado mngali katika dhambi zenu. 18 Pia waamini wote waliokufa wakimwamini Yesu wamepotea. 19 Na kama imani yetu ndani ya Kristo ni kwa ajili ya maisha haya tu, basi sisi tunastahili kuhurumiwa kuliko watu wengine wo wote duniani. 20 Lakini ukweli ni kwamba Kristo amefufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu, matunda ya kwanza ya wote waliolala. 21 Kwa maana kama vile kifo kilivyokuja kwa njia ya mtu mmoja, vivyo hivyo, ufufuo wa wafu umekuja kwa njia ya mtu mmoja. 22 Kwa kuwa katika Adamu watu wote hufa, vivyo hivyo katika Kristo wote wata fanywa kuwa hai. 23 Lakini kila mmoja kwa mpango: Kristo ni mat unda ya kwanza ya ufufuo; kisha wale walio wake wakati atakapo kuja watafufuliwa. 24 Ndipo mwisho utafika, wakati ambao ataka bidhi Ufalme kwa Mungu Baba, akiisha angamiza kila mamlaka na uwezo na nguvu. 25 Kwa maana Kristo atamiliki mpaka Mungu ataka powaweka adui zake chini ya miguu yake. 26 Adui wa mwisho kuan gamizwa ni kifo. 27 “Kwa maana Mungu ameweka kila kitu chini ya utawala wake, chini ya miguu yake.” Ni wazi kwamba maneno haya, “Kila kitu kimewekwa chini ya utawala wake,” hayamjumlishi na Mungu ambaye ameweka vitu vyote chini ya Kristo. 28 Vitu vyote vikishawekwa chini ya utawala wake, ndipo naye Mwana atakuwa chini ya Mungu ambaye ameviweka vitu vyote chini yake, ili Mungu awe yote katika yote.

29 Vinginevyo, kwa nini watu wanabatizwa kwa niaba ya wafu? Kama wafu hawafufuliwi kamwe, mbona watu wanabatizwa kwa niaba yao? 30 Na kwa upande wetu kwa nini tunajitia hatarini kila wakati? 31 Nakufa kila siku, nasema kweli ndugu zangu, kama ninavyojivuna kwa ajili yenu katika Kristo Yesu, Bwana wetu. 32 Kama nilipigana na wanyama wakali huko Efeso kwa sababu za kibinadamu, nimepata faida gani? Kama wafu hawafufuliwi, basi, “Tule na kunywa, kwa maana kesho tutakufa.” 33 Mtu asiwadanga nye, “Ushirika na watu wabaya huharibu tabia njema.” 34 Pateni tena fahamu, muache kutenda dhambi. Kwa maana baadhi yenu hawam jui Mungu; nasema mambo haya ili muone aibu.

Ufufuo Wa Mwili

35 Lakini mtu anaweza kuuliza, “Wafu wanafufuliwaje? Wata kuwa na mwili wa namna gani?” 36 Wapumbavu ninyi! Mnachopanda hakiwi hai tena kama hakikufa. 37 Unapopanda, hupandi mwili unaoutegemea, bali unapanda mbegu, pengine mbegu ya ngano au ya nafaka nyingine. 38 Lakini Mungu huipa hiyo mbegu umbo kama alivyochagua mwenyewe, na kila aina ya mbegu ina umbo lake. 39 Kwa maana nyama zote si za aina moja. Binadamu wana nyama ya aina moja, wanyama wana aina nyingine na hali kadhalika ndege na samaki wana nyama tofauti. 40 Pia kuna miili ya mbinguni na miili ya duniani; lakini uzuri wa miili ya mbinguni ni wa aina moja na uzuri wa miili ya duniani ni wa aina nyingine. 41 Jua lina uzuri wa aina moja, mwezi nao una uzuri wake na nyota pia; na nyota hutofautiana na nyota nyingine kwa uzuri.

42 Ndivyo itakavyokuwa wakati wa ufufuo wa wafu. Mwili uliopandwa ni wakuharibika; utafufuliwa usioharibika; 43 unapandwa katika aibu, unafufuliwa katika utukufu; unapandwa katika udhaifu, unafufuliwa katika nguvu. 44 Unapandwa ukiwa mwili wa asili, unafufuliwa ukiwa mwili wa kiroho. Kama kuna mwili wa asili, basi kuna mwili wa kiroho pia. 45 Kwa hiyo imeandikwa, “Adamu wa kwanza akawa kiumbe hai,” Adamu wa mwisho akawa roho inayohuisha. 46 Lakini si yule wa kiroho aliyekuja kwanza; bali ni yule wa mwili, na kisha yule wa kiroho. 47 Mtu wa kwanza alitokana na mavumbi ya ardhini, mtu wa pili alitoka mbinguni. 48 Na kama alivyokuwa yule wa ardhini, ndivyo walivyo wale walio wa ardhini; na alivyo mtu wa mbinguni, ndivyo walivyo wale walio wa mbinguni. 49 Na kama tulivyochukua umbile la mtu wa ardhini, ndivyo tutakavyochukua umbile la yule mtu kutoka mbinguni. 50 Nawatangazia ndugu zangu kwamba nyama na damu haviwezi kurithi Ufalme wa Mungu, wala uharibifu hauwezi kurithi kutokuharibika.

51 Sikilizeni, nawaambia siri: sote hatutalala, lakini sote tutabadilishwa 52 ghafla, kufumba na kufumbua, tarumbeta ya mwisho itakapolia. Kwa kuwa tarumbeta italia, wafu watafufuliwa na miili isiyoharibika, nasi tutabadilishwa. 53 Kwa maana hali hii ya kuharibika lazima ivae kutokuharibika, na hali hii ya kufa lazima ivae hali ya kutokufa. 54 Kwa hiyo, wakati kuharibika kutakapovaa kutokuharibika, na mwili wa kufa utakapovaa hali ya kutokufa, ndipo lile neno lililoandikwa litakapotimia, “Kifo kimemezwa na ushindi .” 55 “Mauti, ushindi wako uko wapi? Na uchungu wako uko wapi?” 56 Uchungu wa kifo ni dhambi, na nguvu ya dhambi ni sheria. 57 Lakini, Mungu ashukuriwe! Yeye anatupa tia ushindi kwa njia ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo.

58 Kwa hiyo ndugu zangu, simameni imara. Msitikisike. Mzidi sana kujitoa kwa ajili ya kazi ya Bwana, kwa maana mnajua ya kuwa, juhudi yenu si bure katika Bwana.

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel(A) I preached to you,(B) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved,(C) if you hold firmly(D) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received(E) I passed on to you(F) as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins(G) according to the Scriptures,(H) that he was buried,(I) that he was raised(J) on the third day(K) according to the Scriptures,(L) and that he appeared to Cephas,[b](M) and then to the Twelve.(N) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.(O) Then he appeared to James,(P) then to all the apostles,(Q) and last of all he appeared to me also,(R) as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles(S) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted(T) the church of God.(U) 10 But by the grace(V) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me(W) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them(X)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.(Y) 11 Whether, then, it is I or they,(Z) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,(AA) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection(AB) of the dead?(AC) 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised,(AD) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.(AE) But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.(AF) 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep(AG) in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.(AH)

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,(AI) the firstfruits(AJ) of those who have fallen asleep.(AK) 21 For since death came through a man,(AL) the resurrection of the dead(AM) comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.(AN) 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;(AO) then, when he comes,(AP) those who belong to him.(AQ) 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom(AR) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.(AS) 25 For he must reign(AT) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.(AU) 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.(AV) 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c](AW) Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.(AX) 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,(AY) so that God may be all in all.(AZ)

29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?(BA) 31 I face death every day(BB)—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts(BC) in Ephesus(BD) with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,

“Let us eat and drink,
    for tomorrow we die.”[d](BE)

33 Do not be misled:(BF) “Bad company corrupts good character.”[e](BG) 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God(BH)—I say this to your shame.(BI)

The Resurrection Body

35 But someone will ask,(BJ) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”(BK) 36 How foolish!(BL) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.(BM) 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.(BN) 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor,(BO) the moon another and the stars another;(BP) and star differs from star in splendor.

42 So will it be(BQ) with the resurrection of the dead.(BR) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;(BS) 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;(BT) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.(BU)

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”[f];(BV) the last Adam,(BW) a life-giving spirit.(BX) 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.(BY) 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth;(BZ) the second man is of heaven.(CA) 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.(CB) 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,(CC) so shall we[g] bear the image of the heavenly man.(CD)

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood(CE) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,(CF) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.(CG) 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery:(CH) We will not all sleep,(CI) but we will all be changed(CJ) 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,(CK) the dead(CL) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable(CM) must clothe itself with the imperishable,(CN) and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h](CO)

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”[i](CP)

56 The sting of death is sin,(CQ) and the power of sin is the law.(CR) 57 But thanks be to God!(CS) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.(CT)

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,(CU) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.(CV)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6
  4. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Isaiah 22:13
  5. 1 Corinthians 15:33 From the Greek poet Menander
  6. 1 Corinthians 15:45 Gen. 2:7
  7. 1 Corinthians 15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us
  8. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
  9. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14