1 Corinthians 15

1Cor 15:1

Γνωρίζω δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ παρελάβετε, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἑστήκατε,

Now, I reveal to you, brothers, the gospel which I preached to you which even you received in which even you stand

Paraphrase: Now brothers and sisters, there is something else that I want you to know about the message which I preach. There are some truths so central to our walk of faith that I want to clarify these as much as I can. This is the message which you embraced by faith and the theology on which you have taken your stand as followers of Christ. It's that important; life and death is at stake.

Comments:

εὐαγγέλιον and εὐηγγελισάμην are from the same word.

1Cor 15:2

δι’ οὗ καὶ σῴζεσθε, τίνι λόγῳ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν, εἰ κατέχετε, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ εἰκῇ ἐπιστεύσατε.

through which even you were saved, in which words I preached to you, if you hold fast unless you have believed in vain.

Paraphrase: In believing this message, you were saved and brought into a right relation to God. Now this is the message which I preached to you, and it is important that we understand it correctly in order that we take our stand on something that can really hold us and not on some philosophy which people may have spun out of their own mind. These man-made philosophies (Col 2:8) abound in our day, and they are completely unreliable. Anyone who thinks that such philosophy will satisfy him in life and save him in death is sure to be bitterly disappointed. (Is 28:20) Eventually, it will give way beneath their feet; it will fail, and they will perish.

Comments:

Blass calls ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ a pleonasm. source

1Cor 15:3

Παρέδωκα γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐν πρώτοις, ὃ καὶ παρέλαβον, ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν κατὰ τὰς γραφάς,

For I handed down to you what even I received at first, that Christ died for our sin according to the Scriptures...

Paraphrase: Let's consider then, the basic truths of what Jesus taught us. The first thing you need to know is that what I am preaching is not something I came up with on my own. We have enough of these kind of "gospels" already; everyone trumpets his own thinking as the "gospel-truth". On the contrary, what I taught you was first given to me by Jesus Himself. (Gal 1:11, 12) Now what are these foundational truths which lie at the very basis of our faith? Let's start at the beginning: First, Christ died as a sin-offering to make atonement for our sin and to remove our guilt. You can find this taught in Leviticus 4 and many other places in the Scripture.

Comments:

The sophists were traveling philosophers who taught all sorts of different philosophies; see here. There were plenty of these in Corinth. Witherington writes: "It is plausible that the Corinthians, and probably the false apostles as well, had been strongly affected by the rising tide of the Sophistic movement." see on 348 of Conflict and Community in Corinth. Also Abbott.

1Cor 15:4

καὶ ὅτι ἐτάφη, καὶ ὅτι ἐγήγερται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ κατὰ τὰς γραφάς,

and that He was buried, and that He had been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Paraphrase: Second, He was buried and laid in the grave three days which proves that He really was completely dead. Third, God raised Him up out of the grave, brought Him back to life again, and in this state He continues today. He now sits at God's right hand (Eph 1:20) as the living Christ (Jn 14:19; 2Cor 13:4) reigning and ruling (1Cor 15:25) until His return. Again, I emphasize that these were not my own ideas; they are all to be found in the Scriptures. For example, some of you may know that Matthew is preparing an account of Jesus' life. In this account, he reports that Jesus told His disciples well before He died that He would suffer many things from the Sanhedrin, be killed, and that He would be raised back to life on the third day. (Matt. 16:21) Even in the Old Testament, we read that God would perform a resurrection on the third day (Hos 6:2; Jonah 1:17 & Mt 12:40) and that the Messiah would die and live again. (Isa. 53:10–12)

Comments:

ἐγήγερται is in the perfect tense.

If Matthew's gospel is dated to 61 or 62ad, then he may very well have been in the process of preparing it during Paul's ministry. First Corinthians is typically dated to ~54ad.

1Cor 15:5

καὶ ὅτι ὤφθη Κηφᾷ, εἶτα τοῖς δώδεκα·

and that He appeared to Cephas, next to the twelve.

Paraphrase: Proof that Jesus really was raised from the dead is as simple as speaking to those who saw Him alive. You can corroborate this by speaking to Peter to whom Jesus made a private visit (Luke 24:34); and after that He visited all twelve of the disciples, the first when Thomas was not present (Jn 20:19f) and the second when he was (Jn 20:26f).

Comments:

1Cor 15:6

ἔπειτα ὤφθη ἐπάνω πεντακοσίοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐφάπαξ, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πλείονες μένουσιν ἕως ἄρτι, τινὲς δὲ ἐκοιμήθησαν·

Then, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at the same time, of which the most remain until now, although some have slept.

Paraphrase: After these visits to the twelve, Jesus visited over 500 of the Christians in Galilee which He had promised He would do before He died. (Mt 26:32) Some of these have gone on to their sabbath-rest (Heb 4:9), but most of these brothers and sisters are still living and can testify to this visit and to Jesus being alive.

Comments:

Acts 1:15 tells of 120 persons in Jerusalem who were Christians. There were probably more Christians than this in Jerusalem but not 500. Much more likely that Jesus' ministry in Galilee had produced this number of converts. Also, it is likely that many Christians in Jerusalem would have gone to Galilee in light of Jesus' promise in Mt 26:32.

1Cor 15:7

ἔπειτα ὤφθη Ἰακώβῳ, εἶτα τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πᾶσιν·

Then, He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

Paraphrase: He also visited James who also was one of the disciples of Jesus (Acts 12:2), and then another visit to all the apostles together.

Comments:

The James here would likely be the James who was killed by Herod, not the author of the New Testament book.

1Cor 15:8

ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώματι ὤφθη κἀμοί.

and last of all as it were to one aborted, He appeared even to me.

Paraphrase: Finally, Jesus appeared to me as well and conferred on me the status of an apostle (1Cor 9:1) although I am as fit to be called an apostle as an aborted child would be called a son or daughter. (1Cor 15:9)

Comments:

What is the point of comparison between Paul and an aborted child? Some see it as a reference to how Paul was called to be an apostle; i.e. it was in an unnatural way. Billroth writes:

Paul calls himself εκτρωμα, because he was introduced to his apostolic office in a violent, and consequently in an unnatural manner, and because he stood as far behind the other apostles as a child born prematurely does behind one that is sound, and enters the world in the usual manner. source

Closely tied to this is the interpretation which sees it as a reference to Paul's conversion as Calvin; see Calvin on this verse. Others see it as a reference to his unworthiness and see Paul's metaphor here as stated literally in 1Cor 15:9. Wesley writes:

It was impossible to abase himself more than he does by this single appellation. As an abortion is not worthy the name of a man, so he affirms himself to be not worthy the name of an apostle. source

I think the last of these is the correct one especially in such close proximity to the next verse.

1Cor 15:9

ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὃς οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ·

For I am the least of the apostles who I am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God.

Paraphrase: Actually, I am the least of all the apostles, not even worthy to loose the sandals of the others. It's only a miracle of God's saving grace that I was ever called to be an apostle. God knows there is nothing in me that qualifies me for this work, and my record of breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1) should have permanently disqualified me from any service in God's kingdom.

Comments:

1Cor 15:10

χάριτι δὲ θεοῦ εἰμι ὅ εἰμι, καὶ ἡ χάρις αὐτοῦ ἡ εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη, ἀλλὰ περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα, οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ ἀλλὰ ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ σὺν ἐμοί.

but by the grace of God I am what I am and His grace, the grace in me, was not for nothing, but I labored more than all of them, but not I but the grace of God, the grace with me.

Paraphrase: but look what God's grace did in me (and it's all God's grace!). I ended up working harder than all the other apostles! and all this work from someone who was, at one time, doing all he could to stamp out the Name of Christ and to destroy the Way! (Acts 9:2) Look at what God's grace can do! I am a living breathing example of God's regenerating grace. Now, I said before that I worked harder than all the apostles. I need to correct that; I should have said, the grace of God working through me and in me labored and toiled harder than all the other apostles. I contributed nothing.

Comments:

Notice the two orphan articles; cf principle 15 "ἡ εἰς ἐμὲ..." "...ἡ σὺν ἐμοί."

1Cor 15:11

εἴτε οὖν ἐγὼ εἴτε ἐκεῖνοι, οὕτως κηρύσσομεν καὶ οὕτως ἐπιστεύσατε.

Therefore, whether I or they, in this manner we preached and in this manner you believed.

Paraphrase: At the end of the day, it makes little difference who labored where or to what extent. All the apostles are preaching Christ crucified and Christ risen. This is what we labor for day and night, and this is all that really matters. (Phil 1:18) James the younger has already lost his life because he labored to spread these truths (Acts 12:2) and Stephen too. (Acts 7:58) At the end of the day, this is what we preach and this is what you believed. Only in this Name can anyone find salvation.

Comments:

Paul uses κηρυσσω here and εὐαγγελίζω (v1). Both terms are near synonyms in his usage. "In the NT κηρύσσειν and εὐαγγελίζεσθαι are often synonymous. TDNT 3:711. Bullinger says κηρυσσω is focused more on the making known where εὐαγγελίζω says something about the message itself, i.e. it is a joyful message, good news. source

1Cor 15:12

Εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς κηρύσσεται ὅτι ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγήγερται, πῶς λέγουσιν ἐν ὑμῖν τινες ὅτι ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔστιν;

but if Christ is preached that from the dead He was raised, how do certain ones among you say that resurrection from the dead is not?

Paraphrase:

Comments:

1Cor 15:13

εἰ δὲ ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐδὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται·

1Cor 15:14

εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, κενὸν ἄρα τὸ κήρυγμα ἡμῶν, κενὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν,

1Cor 15:15

εὑρισκόμεθα δὲ καὶ ψευδομάρτυρες τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅτι ἐμαρτυρήσαμεν κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι ἤγειρεν τὸν Χριστόν, ὃν οὐκ ἤγειρεν εἴπερ ἄρα νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται.

1Cor 15:16

εἰ γὰρ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, οὐδὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται·

1Cor 15:17

εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, ματαία ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν, ἔτι ἐστὲ ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν.

1Cor 15:18

ἄρα καὶ οἱ κοιμηθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ ἀπώλοντο.

1Cor 15:19

εἰ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ ἐν Χριστῷ ἠλπικότες ἐσμὲν μόνον, ἐλεεινότεροι πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐσμέν.

1Cor 15:20

Νυνὶ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων.

1Cor 15:21

ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι’ ἀνθρώπου θάνατος, καὶ δι’ ἀνθρώπου ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν·

1Cor 15:22

ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνῄσκουσιν, οὕτως καὶ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ πάντες ζῳοποιηθήσονται.

1Cor 15:23

ἕκαστος δὲ ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ τάγματι· ἀπαρχὴ Χριστός, ἔπειτα οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ·

1Cor 15:24

εἶτα τὸ τέλος, ὅταν παραδιδῷ τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί, ὅταν καταργήσῃ πᾶσαν ἀρχὴν καὶ πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν καὶ δύναμιν,

1Cor 15:25

δεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸν βασιλεύειν ἄχρι οὗ θῇ πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ.

1Cor 15:26

ἔσχατος ἐχθρὸς καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος,

1Cor 15:27

πάντα γὰρ ὑπέταξεν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. ὅταν δὲ εἴπῃ ὅτι πάντα ὑποτέτακται, δῆλον ὅτι ἐκτὸς τοῦ ὑποτάξαντος αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα.

1Cor 15:28

ὅταν δὲ ὑποταγῇ αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, τότε αὐτὸς ὁ υἱὸς ὑποταγήσεται τῷ ὑποτάξαντι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, ἵνα ᾖ ὁ θεὸς πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.

1Cor 15:29

Ἐπεὶ τί ποιήσουσιν οἱ βαπτιζόμενοι ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν; εἰ ὅλως νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν;

1Cor 15:30

τί καὶ ἡμεῖς κινδυνεύομεν πᾶσαν ὥραν;

1Cor 15:31

καθ’ ἡμέραν ἀποθνῄσκω, νὴ τὴν ὑμετέραν καύχησιν, ἣν ἔχω ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.

1Cor 15:32

εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος; εἰ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν.

1Cor 15:33

μὴ πλανᾶσθε· φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί.

1Cor 15:34

ἐκνήψατε δικαίως καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε, ἀγνωσίαν γὰρ θεοῦ τινες ἔχουσιν· πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν λαλῶ.

1Cor 15:35

Ἀλλὰ ἐρεῖ τις· Πῶς ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί, ποίῳ δὲ σώματι ἔρχονται;

1Cor 15:36

ἄφρων, σὺ ὃ σπείρεις, οὐ ζῳοποιεῖται ἐὰν μὴ ἀποθάνῃ·

1Cor 15:37

καὶ ὃ σπείρεις, οὐ τὸ σῶμα τὸ γενησόμενον σπείρεις ἀλλὰ γυμνὸν κόκκον εἰ τύχοι σίτου ἤ τινος τῶν λοιπῶν·

1Cor 15:38

ὁ δὲ θεὸς δίδωσιν αὐτῷ σῶμα καθὼς ἠθέλησεν, καὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν σπερμάτων ἴδιον σῶμα.

1Cor 15:39

οὐ πᾶσα σὰρξ ἡ αὐτὴ σάρξ, ἀλλὰ ἄλλη μὲν ἀνθρώπων, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ κτηνῶν, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ πτηνῶν, ἄλλη δὲ ἰχθύων.

1Cor 15:40

καὶ σώματα ἐπουράνια, καὶ σώματα ἐπίγεια· ἀλλὰ ἑτέρα μὲν ἡ τῶν ἐπουρανίων δόξα, ἑτέρα δὲ ἡ τῶν ἐπιγείων.

1Cor 15:41

ἄλλη δόξα ἡλίου, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελήνης, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα ἀστέρων, ἀστὴρ γὰρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ.

1Cor 15:42

Οὕτως καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν νεκρῶν. σπείρεται ἐν φθορᾷ, ἐγείρεται ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ·

1Cor 15:43

σπείρεται ἐν ἀτιμίᾳ, ἐγείρεται ἐν δόξῃ· σπείρεται ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ, ἐγείρεται ἐν δυνάμει·

1Cor 15:44

σπείρεται σῶμα ψυχικόν, ἐγείρεται σῶμα πνευματικόν. Εἰ ἔστιν σῶμα ψυχικόν, ἔστιν καὶ πνευματικόν.

1Cor 15:45

οὕτως καὶ γέγραπται· Ἐγένετο ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος Ἀδὰμ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν· ὁ ἔσχατος Ἀδὰμ εἰς πνεῦμα ζῳοποιοῦν.

1Cor 15:46

ἀλλ’ οὐ πρῶτον τὸ πνευματικὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ ψυχικόν, ἔπειτα τὸ πνευματικόν.

1Cor 15:47

ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκός, ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ.

1Cor 15:48

οἷος ὁ χοϊκός, τοιοῦτοι καὶ οἱ χοϊκοί, καὶ οἷος ὁ ἐπουράνιος, τοιοῦτοι καὶ οἱ ἐπουράνιοι·

1Cor 15:49

καὶ καθὼς ἐφορέσαμεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ, φορέσομεν καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου.

1Cor 15:50

Τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύναται, οὐδὲ ἡ φθορὰ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν κληρονομεῖ.

1Cor 15:51

ἰδοὺ μυστήριον ὑμῖν λέγω· πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα,

1Cor 15:52

ἐν ἀτόμῳ, ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ σάλπιγγι· σαλπίσει γάρ, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐγερθήσονται ἄφθαρτοι, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλλαγησόμεθα.

1Cor 15:53

δεῖ γὰρ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀθανασίαν.

1Cor 15:54

ὅταν δὲ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀθανασίαν, τότε γενήσεται ὁ λόγος ὁ γεγραμμένος· Κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος.

1Cor 15:55

ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος; ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον;

1Cor 15:56

τὸ δὲ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἡ δὲ δύναμις τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁ νόμος·

1Cor 15:57

τῷ δὲ θεῷ χάρις τῷ διδόντι ἡμῖν τὸ νῖκος διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.

1Cor 15:58

Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί, ἑδραῖοι γίνεσθε, ἀμετακίνητοι, περισσεύοντες ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τοῦ κυρίου πάντοτε, εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ κόπος ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔστιν κενὸς ἐν κυρίῳ.