Christ Was Raised to Life
1 My friends, I want you to remember the message I preached and that you believed and trusted. 2 You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing.
3 I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. This part is:
Christ died for our sins,
as the Scriptures say.
4 He was buried,
and three days later
he was raised to life,
as the Scriptures say.
5 Christ appeared to Peter,
then to the twelve.
6 After this, he appeared
to more than five hundred
other followers.
Most of them are still alive,
but some have died.
7 He also appeared to James,
then to all of the apostles.
8 Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.
9 I am the least important of all the apostles. In fact, I caused so much trouble for God's church that I don't even deserve to be called an apostle. 10 But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's grace at work and not me. 11 But it doesn't matter if I preached or if they preached. All of you believed the message just the same.
God's People Will Be Raised to Life
12 If we preach that Christ was raised from death, how can some of you say the dead will not be raised to life? 13 If they won't be raised to life, Christ himself wasn't raised to life. 14 And if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. 15 If the dead won't be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying he raised Christ to life, when he really did not.
16 So if the dead won't be raised to life, Christ wasn't raised to life. 17 Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. 18 And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.
20 But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. 21 Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. 22 Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. 23 But we must each wait our turn. Christ was the first to be raised to life, and his people will be raised to life when he returns. 24 Then after Christ has destroyed all powers and forces, the end will come, and he will give the kingdom to God the Father.
25 Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, 26 and the last enemy he destroys will be death. 27 When the Scriptures say he will put everything under his power, they don't include God. It was God who put everything under the power of Christ. 28 After everything is under the power of God's Son, he will put himself under the power of God, who put everything under his Son's power. Then God will mean everything to everyone.
29 If the dead are not going to be raised to life, what will people do who are being baptized for them? Why are they being baptized for those dead people? 30 And why do we always risk our lives 31 and face death every day? The pride that I have in you because of Christ Jesus our Lord is what makes me say this. 32 What do you think I gained by fighting wild animals in Ephesus? If the dead are not raised to life,
“Let's eat and drink.
Tomorrow we die.”
33 Don't fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you. 34 Be sensible and stop sinning. You should be embarrassed that some people still don't know about God.
What Our Bodies Will Be Like
35 Some of you have asked, “How will the dead be raised to life? What kind of bodies will they have?” 36 Don't be foolish. A seed must die before it can sprout from the ground. 37 Wheat seeds and all other seeds look different from the sprouts that come up. 38 This is because God gives everything the kind of body he wants it to have. 39 People, animals, birds, and fish are each made of flesh, but none of them are alike. 40 Everything in the heavens has a body, and so does everything on earth. But each one is very different from all the others. 41 The sun isn't like the moon, the moon isn't like the stars, and each star is different.
42 That's how it will be when our bodies are raised to life. These bodies will die, but the bodies that are raised will live forever. 43 These ugly and weak bodies will become beautiful and strong. 44 As surely as there are physical bodies, there are spiritual bodies. And our physical bodies will be changed into spiritual bodies.
45 The first man was named Adam, and the Scriptures tell us that he was a living person. But Jesus, who may be called the last Adam, is a life-giving spirit. 46 We see that the one with a spiritual body did not come first. He came after the one who had a physical body. 47 The first man was made from the dust of the earth, but the second man came from heaven. 48 Everyone on earth has a body like the body of the one who was made from the dust of the earth. And everyone in heaven has a body like the body of the one who came from heaven. 49 Just as we are like the one who was made out of earth, we will be like the one who came from heaven.
50 My friends, I want you to know that our bodies of flesh and blood will decay. This means they cannot share in God's kingdom, which lasts forever. 51 I will explain a mystery to you. Not every one of us will die, but we will all be changed. 52 It will happen suddenly, quicker than the blink of an eye. At the sound of the last trumpet the dead will be raised. We will all be changed, so we will never die again. 53 Our dead and decaying bodies will be changed into bodies that won't die or decay. 54 The bodies we now have are weak and can die. But they will be changed into bodies that are eternal. Then the Scriptures will come true,
“Death has lost the battle!
55 Where is its victory?
Where is its sting?”
56 Sin is what gives death its sting, and the Law is the power behind sin. 57 But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory!
58 My dear friends, stand firm and don't be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile.
Ombendukiro ya Kristus
1 Nu nambano, vakwetu, ami me vanga okumuzemburukisa Ombuze Ombwa, ndji mbe mu zuvarisira, nu ndji mwa yakura, nu wina mu mwa zikama. 2 MOmbuze Ombwa ndji eṋe mamu yamwa, tji mamu ṱakamisa yo otja tjinga ambe i zuvarisa ku eṋe; nu tje he ri nao, ongamburiro yeṋu atja rira omungandjo.
3 Ihi otjinanḓengu tjinene tji mba yandja ku eṋe, nu wina ami tji mba pewa, otjo hi: Kristus wa ṱira ourunde wetu, punga apa tjangwa momatjangwa; 4 Eye wa pakwa nu a pendurwa movakoke meyuva oritjatatu, punga apa tjangwa momatjangwa; 5 Eye we rimunikisa ku Petrus, ngu ya tjiukwa otja Kefas, nu kombunda yanao e rimunikisa kovahongewa mba omurongo na vevari. 6 Nu tjazumba eye we rimunikisa kovakambure, mba ri kombanda yotjivarero tjovandu omasere yetano, novengi vawo ingee oku ve ri nga ku ndinondi, nu tjiva va ṱa. 7 Nu kombunda e rimunikisa ku Jakobus, nu tjazumba a rire kovaapostele avehe.
8 Nu korusenina eye wina we rimunikisa ku ami ngu mba sana nomuatje a kwatwa oruveze aru hiya yenena. 9 Nami hapo owami omuhinanḓengu tjinene povaapostele avehe, nu hi yenene okuisanewa omuapostele, tjinga ee tatumisa ombongo ya Ndjambi. 10 Nungwari motjari tja Ndjambi ami mba tjitwa otja tjinga ambi ri nai, notjari eye tje ndji pa, katja ri omungandjo. Nu kombunda yanao ami mba ungura tjinene komeho okukapita ovaapostele ovakwetu avehe, nu ka ri ousore wandje omuini, nungwari a ri otjari tja Ndjambi tji tja ungura mu ami. 11 Nu nangarire kutja owami poo kutja owo mbena, ihi eṱe atuhe otji tu zuvarisa, neṋe omu mwa kambura.
Ombendukiro yovaṱi
12 Nambano eṱe tji tu zuvarisa kutja Kristus wa penduka movakoke, ovandu tjiva mokati keṋu mave sora vi okutja kape nombendukiro yovaṱi? 13 Nu tji pe hi nombendukiro yovaṱi, okutja Kristus wina ka pendurirwe movakoke; 14 nu Kristus tje ha pendurirwe movakoke, okutja omazuvarisiro wetu owo omungandjo, nongamburiro yeṋu wina omungandjo. 15 Kombunda yanao eṱe matu munika aayo twa tjitira Ndjambi omahongononeno wovizeze, tjinga atwa hongonona kutja eye wa pendura Kristus movakoke. Nu tjinangara pe ri nao kutja ovaṱi kave pendurwa movakoke, okutja Ndjambi ka pendurire Kristus movakoke. 16 Novaṱi tji ve ha pendurwa movakoke, okutja Kristus wina ka pendurirwe. 17 Nu Kristus tje ha pendurirwe movakoke, okutja ongamburiro yeṋu oyo omungandjo, neṋe ingee mu ri monḓomo yourunde weṋu. 18 Nu wina mape hee kutja imba mba ṱa ave nongamburiro mu Kristus, va pandjara. 19 Nomaundjiro wetu mu Kristus tje ri oworuveze ndwi uriri, okutja oweṱe ovaningisandjenda tjinene okukapita ovandu avehe mouye.
20 Nungwari Kristus, tjiri, wa pendurwa movakoke, nu ihi ku eṱe otjo ouatjiri wokutja imba mba ṱa, wina mave pendurwa movakoke. 21 Notja onḓiro punga aya etwa i omundu, ombendukiro yovakoke wina opunga amai etwa i omundu. 22 Notja ovandu avehe punga amave ṱu motjimbe tjokutja va za mu Adam, avehe opunga amave pendurwa movakoke motjimbe tja Kristus. 23 Nungwari auhe ma pendurwa movakoke mongongorasaneno: Kristus eye omutengatenga; tjazumba moruveze ndwi Kristus ndu ma kotoka a rire mba ova Kristus. 24 Nu kombunda yaimbi mape ya omaandero; Kristus ma yandeke omauvara aehe omanavita na Ndjambi na yarura ouhona ku Ndjambi Ihe. 25 Orondu Kristus u sokuhonapara nga Ndjambi tja twa ovanavita na ye avehe kehi yozombaze za Kristus. 26 Nomunavita omusenina ngu sokuyandekwa, oyo ndji onḓiro. 27 Orondu omatjangwa maye tja: “Ndjambi wa wisa oviṋa avihe kehi yozombaze ze.” Nu tji maku zu “oviṋa avihe”, omambo nga kaye nokuheya Ndjambi ngwa twa avihe kehi youvara wa Kristus. 28 Nungwari oviṋa avihe tji vya tuwa kehi youvara wa Kristus, okutja Kristus omuini, ngu ri Omuna, me riwisa omuini kehi ya Ndjambi ngwa twa avihe kehi ye, nu Ndjambi otji ma honaparere avihe okumana.
29 Nu nambano ovaṱi tji ve hi na maave pendurwa movakoke, imba mbe papitisirwa ovakoke ve tjitira tjike? Indu owo mave papitisirwa ovakoke mena ratjike? 30 Neṱe wina, okutjavi tji matu ritwa moumba wonḓiro oiri aihe? 31 Vakwetu, ami aruhe mbi kara moumba wonḓiro. Nohiviro, ndji mbi na yo mu eṋe mu Kristus Jesus, oMuhona wetu, ondji mai ndji pe omasa okuhatira onḓiro. 32 Ami tji mbi ri aayo mba rwire novipuka ovindandi muno mOefese komuhingo wovandu uriri, mape ndji vatere tjike? Ovakoke tji ve hi nokupendurwa “Ngatu rye nu tu nwe, orondu muhuka tjandje twa ṱu.”
33 Amu pukisiwa! “Otjikaro tjovandu ovavi tji zunḓa omihingo omiwa.” 34 Kotoreye ozondunge zeṋu ozosemba, nu iseye ozondjira zeṋu zourunde. Tjiva veṋu kave nondjiviro na Ndjambi. Nu ihi me hungirire kutja mu ṱohoṋi.
Orutu ndwa penduka
35 Mape ya rumwe omundu a pura nai: “Hapo ovakoke mave pendurwa vi? Mave kara norutu ndu ri vi?” 36 Mo pura vi ouyova nao? Tji wa kunu ondwi mehi, kai hapa ngunda rutenga ai hiya koka. 37 Ihi tji mo kunu katji nokurira otjihape tjorutu orunene ndwe kura. Ihi tji mo kunu otjo okandwi uriri, ngahino kovikokotwa poo kovikunwa ovikwao. 38 Nungwari Ndjambi u yandja orutu kondwi ndjo punga e vanga; nu kondwi aihe eye u yandja ko orutu rwayo peke.
39 Onyama yoviutwa avihe kanyama imwe tjingeyo; onyama yovandu i peke, nonyama yovipuka i peke, nonyama yozonḓera i peke, nonyama yozohi i peke. 40 Nu pe notutu tweyuru notutu twehi; oupwe wotutu twi tweyuru i peke koupwe waitwi twehi. 41 Eyuva ri noupwe waro peke, nomueze u noupwe wawo peke, nozonyose ze noupwe wazo peke; nu nangarire ozonyose ozeni nao aihe i noupwe wayo oini peke.
42 Otjinga ape ri nao nombendukiro yovaṱi: Orutu tji rwa pakwa, okutja rwa ṱu; nu tji rwa pendurwa karu uhara amaru ṱu. 43 Orutu tji rwa pakwa ru ngundipara naru zunḓaka; nu tji rwa pendurwa ru hara omasa noupwe. 44 Norutu tji maru pakwa orwo orutu rwoundu, nu tji rwa pendurwa orwo orutu rwombepo. Nu tjinga ape norutu rwoundu, wina otjinga ape sokukara orutu rwombepo. 45 Orondu omatjangwa maye tja: “Omundu ngwi omutenga Adam wa utirwe omunamuinyo”, nungwari Adam ingwi omusenina eye Ombepo, ndji yandja omuinyo. 46 Orutu ndwi rwombepo kandu ri orutenga, nungwari orondwi rwoundu, nu tjazumba a rire ndwi rwombepo. 47 Nu Adam ingwi omutenga wa memwa pehi, neye owehi; nu Adam ingwi outjavari wa zira meyuru. 48 Imba ovandu vehi ve ri otja ingwi Adam ngwa memwa pehi; nu imba veyuru ve ri otja ingwi Adam ngwa zira meyuru. 49 Otja tjinga atwa zarere osaneno yomundu ngwa memenwe pehi, otjinga amatu zara osaneno yOmundu ngwi ngwa zira meyuru.
50 Nu ihi tji me hee, vakwetu, otjo hi: Onyama nombinḓu kai nokusora okurumata ouhona wa Ndjambi. Nu ihi otjiṱe katji nokusora okurumata ouhona wa Ndjambi. Nu ihi otjiṱe katji nokusora okurumata ihi otjihaṱa.
51 Tareye, ami me mu tjivisa omaundikiro nga: Eṱe atuhe katu nakuṱa, nungwari atuhe matu tjitukisiwa. 52 Ihi matji tjitwa pohiva osenina tjimanga mombapaiziro yeho, orondu ohiva mai pose, novaṱi otji mave pendurwa otja ovahaṱa, neṱe mbu matu vazewa nomuinyo matu tjitukisiwa. 53 Orondu orutu ndwi oruṱe maru tjitukisiwa okurira indwi oruhaṱa, nu indwi ndu koka maru tjitukisiwa okurira indwi ndu ha koka. 54 Norutu ndwi oruṱe tji rwa tjitukisiwa okurira indwi oruhaṱa, nu orutu ndwi ndu koka tji rwa tjitukisiwa okurira indwi ndu ha koka, okutja omatjangwa maye yenenisiwa ngu maye tja: “Onḓiro ya yandekwa, noutoṋi wa yenenisiwa!”
55 “Nḓiro, outoṋi woye u ri pi?
Nḓiro, omasa woye wokuzepa ye ri pi?”
56 Omasa wonḓiro wokuzepa ye za mourunde, nourunde u isa omasa wawo mOmatwako. 57 Nungwari eṱe matu tja okuhepa ku Ndjambi ngu tu pa outoṋi mu Muhona wetu Jesus Kristus!
58 Nu vakwetu ovasuverwa, otji mamu sokuzikama nokuhinokuteratera. Nu aruhe ungurireye Muhona nokuhaurwa, tjinga amamu tjiwa kutja ongondjero yeṋu motjiungura tja Ndjambi oyo kamungandjo.
