What Kind of Body Will We Have?

³⁵But some person may ask, "How are dead people raised? What kind of body will they have?" ³⁶Those are stupid questions. When you plant something, it must die [in the ground] before it can live and grow. ³⁷And when you plant something, the thing you plant does not have the same "body" that it will have later. The thing you plant is only a seed, maybe wheat or something else. ³⁸But God gives it a body that he has planned for it. And God gives each kind of seed its own body. ³⁹All things made of flesh (bodies) are not the same kind of flesh: People have one kind of flesh (body), animals have another kind, birds have another kind, and fish have another kind. ⁴⁰Also there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the beauty of the heavenly bodies is one kind. The beauty of the earthly bodies is another kind. ⁴¹The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon has another kind of beauty, and the stars have another. And each star is different in its beauty. ⁴²It is the same with the dead people who are raised to life. The body that is "planted" will ruin and decay. But that body is raised to a life that cannot be destroyed. ⁴³When the body is "planted," it is without honor. But it is raised in glory. When the body is "planted," it is weak. But when it is raised, it has power. ⁴⁴The body that is "planted" is a physical body. When it is raised, it is a spiritual body. There is a physical body. So there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵It is written [in the Scriptures*], "The first man (Adam) became a living thing.*"* But the last Adam (Christ) became a spirit that gives life. ⁴⁶The spiritual [man] did not come first. It was the physical [man] that came first; then came the spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man (Christ) came from heaven. ⁴⁸People belong to the earth. They are like that first man of earth. But those people who belong to heaven are like that man of heaven. ⁴⁹We were made like that man of earth. So we will also be made like that man of heaven. ⁵⁰I tell you this, brothers [and sisters]: Flesh and blood (a physical body) cannot have a part in the kingdom of God. A thing that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins. ⁵¹But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. ⁵²It will only take the time of a second. We will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those [believers] who have died will be raised to live forever. And we [also] will all be changed. ⁵³This [body] that will ruin must clothe itself with something that will never ruin. And this [body] that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die. ⁵⁴So 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, then this Scripture* will be made true: "Death is swallowed (defeated) in victory." Isaiah 25:8

⁵⁵"Death, where is your victory? Grave, where is your power to hurt?" Hosea 13:14

⁵⁶Death's power to hurt is sin. And the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸So, my dear brothers [and sisters], stand strong. Don't let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

Scriptures Holy Writings--the Old Testament. thing Literally, "soul." "The first man ... thing" Quote from Gen. 2:7. Scriptures Holy Writings--the Old Testament.