The Resurrection of Christ
1 And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm. 2 That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the gospel if you hold firmly to it—unless it was for nothing that you believed.
3 I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; 4 that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures; 5 that he appeared to Peter and then to all twelve apostles. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, and afterward to all the apostles.
8 Last of all he appeared also to me—even though I am like someone whose birth was abnormal. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles—I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. 10 But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me. 11 So then, whether it came from me or from them, this is what we all preach, and this is what you believe.
Our Resurrection
12 Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? 13 If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. 15 More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. 18 It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world.
20 But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. 21 For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the rising from death comes by means of a man. 22 For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ. 23 But each one will be raised in proper order: Christ, first of all; then, at the time of his coming, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come; Christ will overcome all spiritual rulers, authorities, and powers, and will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father. 25 For Christ must rule until God defeats all enemies and puts them under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be defeated will be death. 27 For the scripture says, “God put all things under his feet.” It is clear, of course, that the words “all things” do not include God himself, who puts all things under Christ. 28 But when all things have been placed under Christ's rule, then he himself, the Son, will place himself under God, who placed all things under him; and God will rule completely over all.
29 Now, what about those people who are baptized for the dead? What do they hope to accomplish? If it is true, as some claim, that the dead are not raised to life, why are those people being baptized for the dead? 30 And as for us—why would we run the risk of danger every hour? 31 My friends, I face death every day! The pride I have in you, in our life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord, makes me declare this. 32 If I have, as it were, fought “wild beasts” here in Ephesus simply from human motives, what have I gained? But if the dead are not raised to life, then, as the saying goes, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.”
33 Do not be fooled. “Bad companions ruin good character.” 34 Come back to your right senses and stop your sinful ways. I declare to your shame that some of you do not know God.
The Resurrection Body
35 Someone will ask, “How can the dead be raised to life? What kind of body will they have?” 36 You fool! When you plant a seed in the ground, it does not sprout to life unless it dies. 37 And what you plant is a bare seed, perhaps a grain of wheat or some other grain, not the full-bodied plant that will later grow up. 38 God provides that seed with the body he wishes; he gives each seed its own proper body.
39 And the flesh of living beings is not all the same kind of flesh; human beings have one kind of flesh, animals another, birds another, and fish another.
40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; the beauty that belongs to heavenly bodies is different from the beauty that belongs to earthly bodies. 41 The sun has its own beauty, the moon another beauty, and the stars a different beauty; and even among stars there are different kinds of beauty.
42 This is how it will be when the dead are raised to life. When the body is buried, it is mortal; when raised, it will be immortal. 43 When buried, it is ugly and weak; when raised, it will be beautiful and strong. 44 When buried, it is a physical body; when raised, it will be a spiritual body. There is, of course, a physical body, so there has to be a spiritual body. 45 For the scripture says, “The first man, Adam, was created a living being”; but the last Adam is the life-giving Spirit. 46 It is not the spiritual that comes first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47 The first Adam, made of earth, came from the earth; the second Adam came from heaven. 48 Those who belong to the earth are like the one who was made of earth; those who are of heaven are like the one who came from heaven. 49 Just as we wear the likeness of the man made of earth, so we will wear the likeness of the Man from heaven.
50 What I mean, friends, is that what is made of flesh and blood cannot share in God's Kingdom, and what is mortal cannot possess immortality.
51-52 Listen to this secret truth: we shall not all die, but when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed. 53 For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die. 54 So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into the immortal, then the scripture will come true: “Death is destroyed; victory is complete!”
55 “Where, Death, is your victory?
Where, Death, is your power to hurt?”
56 Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. 57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
58 So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.
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.
