1 Corinthians 15:39 kjv
All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
1 Corinthians 15:39 nkjv
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.
1 Corinthians 15:39 niv
Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.
1 Corinthians 15:39 esv
For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.
1 Corinthians 15:39 nlt
Similarly there are different kinds of flesh ? one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.
1 Corinthians 15 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 15:44 | It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. | Contrasts natural and spiritual bodies |
| 1 Cor 15:50 | Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. | Defines limitation of current flesh |
| Gal 1:16 | To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen... | Transformation after salvation |
| Phil 3:21 | Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body... | Future transformation of believers' bodies |
| Rom 8:21 | Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. | Liberation from corruption |
| John 3:6 | That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | Distinction between flesh and spirit |
| Gen 6:3 | And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. | Humanity's essential nature as flesh |
| Rom 1:23 | And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. | Divine glory into corruptible forms |
| 2 Pet 1:4 | Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. | Escaping corruption, partaking of divine nature |
| Col 1:22 | To reconcile in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: | Reconciliation through flesh and death |
| Matt 24:30 | And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on clouds of heaven with power and great glory. | Signs of coming glory |
| Acts 1:11 | Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. | Jesus' return in like manner |
| Heb 2:14 | Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; | Jesus partook of flesh and blood |
| 1 Cor 6:13 | Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. | Distinction regarding bodily functions |
| Luke 24:39 | Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: and hold me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. | Jesus' resurrected body having flesh and bones |
| Rom 6:12 | Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. | Warning against sin reigning in mortal bodies |
| Eph 2:10 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. | Created anew unto good works |
| Phil 1:21 | For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. | Christ as central to life and death |
| John 19:34 | But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. | Blood and water from Christ's side |
| 1 John 5:7 | For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. | Trinity |
| Matt 13:43 | Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. | Righteous shining like the sun |
| 1 Cor 15:42 | So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: | Resurrection as sown and raised |
1 Corinthians 15 verses
1 Corinthians 15 39 Meaning
The verse asserts a distinction between different types of flesh, highlighting that the "flesh of man" is not the only kind of flesh. This implies that the resurrected bodies will not be identical in their earthly, perishable form but will have a different, perhaps incorruptible, nature, distinguishing them from the flesh of animals or even the corrupted flesh of sin.
1 Corinthians 15 39 Context
1 Corinthians 15 is Paul's extensive discourse on the resurrection of the dead. He addresses an error that had crept into the Corinthian church, likely a form of Gnosticism, which denied the resurrection of the body, particularly the resurrection of believers. Paul argues for the necessity of the resurrection, beginning with Christ's resurrection as the guarantee. He contrasts the perishable, earthly body with the glorious, incorruptible, resurrected body. In this specific verse, Paul is emphasizing the transformation of the resurrected body by distinguishing the current human flesh from other forms of flesh that exist or have existed. This sets the stage for the description of the glorified body.
1 Corinthians 15 39 Word Analysis
- ἀλλὰ (alla): But. A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a contrast.
- γὰρ (gar): For. A causal particle, often introducing an explanation or reason.
- ἄλλη (allē): Different, another.
- σὰρξ (sarx): Flesh.
- ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn): Of men, human. Genitive plural of anthropos.
- σάρκι (sarki): Flesh. Dative singular of sarx.
- animali (animalis - Latinized from Greek): Of animals. This word is not found in the original Greek text of 1 Corinthians 15:39. The Greek word typically used in contexts differentiating beings is related to "living creatures."
- κτηνῶν (ktēnōn): Of cattle, beasts, or domestic animals. Genitive plural of ktēnos. This refers to beasts of the field, livestock, etc.
- καὶ (kai): And. A common conjunctive particle.
- ἰχθύων (ichthyōn): Of fishes. Genitive plural of ichthus.
Word Group Analysis
- "ἄλλη γάρ ἐστι σὰρξ ἀνθρώπων, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ κτηνῶν, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ ἰχθύων, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ πτηνῶν": This is a comparative structure. Paul is not merely listing; he is highlighting degrees of difference or types. The repetition of "ἄλλη... ἄλλη δὲ... ἄλλη δὲ..." (another... and another... and another) emphasizes that there isn't just one type of flesh but many distinct categories.
1 Corinthians 15 39 Bonus Section
The concept of different kinds of flesh reflects a creation ordinance. God created distinct "kinds" of living creatures. This distinction between animal flesh and human flesh underscores humanity's unique position as being made in God's image. When Paul refers to "flesh and blood" in verse 50, he often means the entirety of man's earthly, corruptible, and sin-affected being, in contrast to a renewed or heavenly existence. The contrast here isn't just about different species but about different modes of being. The resurrected body, described as "spiritual," will still be a body, but its substance and capabilities will transcend the limitations of earthly flesh and blood.
1 Corinthians 15 39 Commentary
Paul systematically debunks any notion that the resurrected body will be identical to the present, fallen, mortal body. By referencing the flesh of men, beasts, and fish, he shows that diversity in fleshly forms is a present reality. This prepares the Corinthians for the truth that God's creation encompasses a spectrum of living flesh. The implication for the resurrection is profound: just as earthly creatures have varied fleshly compositions, so too will the resurrected bodies have a perfected, glorified "flesh," distinct from and superior to our current corruptible form, as highlighted by contrasting with the animal kingdom. This reinforces that the resurrection is a transformation, not a mere reanimation of the same decaying substance.