1 Corinthians 15 42

1 Corinthians 15:42 kjv

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

1 Corinthians 15:42 nkjv

So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.

1 Corinthians 15:42 niv

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;

1 Corinthians 15:42 esv

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.

1 Corinthians 15:42 nlt

It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.

1 Corinthians 15 verses

1 Corinthians 15 42 meaning

This verse initiates Paul's explanation of the qualitative difference between the earthly, mortal body and the future, resurrected body. It states that while the physical body is "sown" (buried) in a state of decay and mortality, it will be "raised" in a state of incorruptibility and immortality. It contrasts the perishable nature of our current existence with the imperishable nature of our resurrected life.

1 Corinthians 15 42 Context

First Corinthians chapter 15 is Paul's most extensive discourse on the doctrine of the resurrection. He writes to address a significant theological error within the Corinthian church: a denial by some that there is a future resurrection of the dead. This denial likely stemmed from various factors, including the influence of Hellenistic philosophy (which often viewed the body as inferior or a prison for the soul) and potentially misunderstanding or questioning the nature of a resurrected body.

In the preceding verses (15:1-34), Paul establishes the historical reality and centrality of Christ's resurrection, arguing that if Christ did not rise, then the Christian faith is in vain. He then logically extends this to the resurrection of believers, arguing that if Christ rose, believers also must rise. Verses 35-41 address how the dead are raised and what kind of body they will have. Verse 42 introduces Paul's analogies to answer these questions, starting a series of contrasts (corruption/incorruption, dishonor/glory, weakness/power, natural/spiritual body) to describe the dramatic, qualitative change that will occur. This specific verse begins the imagery of "sowing" (burial) and "raising" (resurrection), using the agricultural metaphor of a seed.

1 Corinthians 15 42 Word analysis

• So also (Οὕτως / houtōs): This adverb signals a transition and indicates a direct analogy or consequence stemming from the previous discussion (specifically the comparison of the different kinds of bodies and glories in vv. 39-41, or the general truth of resurrection). It implies "in this way," or "correspondingly."
• is the resurrection (ἡ ἀνάστασις / hē anastasis):
  • hē: The definite article, referring to the specific resurrection of the dead being discussed.
  • anastasis: A key theological term, literally "a standing up again" or "a raising up." It carries the connotation of a physical revival and implies the reassembly or transformation of what once existed. This refutes any notion that only souls are immortal; the body is central to Paul's argument for resurrection.
• of the dead (τῶν νεκρῶν / tōn nekrōn):
  • tōn: Genitive plural definite article.
  • nekrōn: From nekros, meaning "dead (one)," referring to corpses or deceased persons. Paul explicitly addresses the resurrection of actual deceased human beings, including their bodies, rather than merely an afterlife for disembodied spirits.
• It is sown (Σπείρεται / Speiretai):
  • Present passive indicative of speirō, "to sow" or "to plant."
  • The "it" refers back to "the dead" but specifically means the body that is buried. The passive voice implies human agency in burying the body (people sow the seed) but hints at God's design within the process of decay and renewal. The verb in present tense suggests a timeless principle or ongoing process in humanity.
  • The agricultural metaphor likens burial to planting a seed in the ground. A seed seemingly perishes to produce new life, a stronger, different manifestation. This addresses the question of how the dead rise with a transformed body.
• in corruption (ἐν φθορᾷ / en phthorā):
  • en: Preposition meaning "in" or "by."
  • phthorā: From phtheirō (to corrupt, destroy); refers to decay, perishing, mortality, destruction, or decomposition. It encompasses the temporal, vulnerable, and decaying nature of the physical human body from the moment of death, and its susceptibility to disease, aging, and ultimate dissolution. This is the state in which the body is "planted." It directly challenges any idea that this perishable body is worthy of eternal life without transformation.
• it is raised (ἐγείρεται / egeiretai):
  • Present passive indicative of egeirō, "to raise" or "to awaken."
  • Again, the "it" refers to the same body that was sown, but in its resurrected state. The passive voice strongly emphasizes divine agency—God is the one who performs the raising. It's a miracle performed by God, not an inherent quality of the body. The present tense indicates a definite future reality or a standing truth.
• in incorruption (ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ / en aphtharsia):
  • en: Preposition meaning "in" or "by."
  • aphtharsia: From a- (negating prefix) and phtharsia (corruption); meaning "incorruptibility," "imperishability," "immortality," or "eternity." This is the direct antithesis of phthorā. The resurrected body will be free from decay, disease, death, and all forms of degradation. It signifies a body fit for an eternal existence, one that perfectly reflects the eternal life given by God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• So also is the resurrection of the dead: This phrase establishes the focus: the resurrection, and particularly the nature of the resurrected bodies of all deceased believers. It ties the analogy directly to the human experience of death and resurrection.
• It is sown... it is raised: This parallel structure highlights the continuity and yet radical transformation. The "it" links the sown body directly to the raised body, underscoring that the same person (though transformed) is resurrected. The passive voice for both "sown" and "raised" emphasizes external agency in both death (burial by humans) and resurrection (God's act).
• in corruption... in incorruption: These contrasting phrases encapsulate the fundamental qualitative difference between the earthly, mortal body and the heavenly, immortal resurrection body. "Corruption" signifies everything associated with decay, fragility, and mortality in the present physical body, while "incorruption" signifies permanence, indestructibility, and eternal vitality in the transformed body.

1 Corinthians 15 42 Bonus section

• Polemics against Greek Thought: The concepts of "corruption" and "incorruption" would have resonated deeply with the Greek mindset. While many Greeks (like Plato) believed in the immortality of the soul, they often viewed the physical body with disdain, considering it a hindrance or temporary prison. Paul's affirmation of a future, physical, but incorruptible body directly countered this worldview, arguing for the redemption and perfection of the body, not its annihilation.
• Analogy, Not Identical Reproduction: The "sown as a seed" analogy is crucial. A seed does not rise exactly as it was planted; rather, it produces a plant that is vastly different in form and function but intrinsically connected to the original seed. Similarly, the resurrected body is truly our own body, yet it undergoes a fundamental qualitative transformation, far surpassing its former, fallen state. It is not mere resuscitation but radical re-creation.
• Christ as the Pattern: Although not explicit in verse 42 itself, the entire chapter grounds the hope of believers' resurrection in Christ's resurrection. His own glorified, physical-yet-transformed body (which could appear, disappear, eat, yet was no longer subject to the limitations of earthly flesh) serves as the ultimate prototype for the "incorruptible" bodies believers will receive.

1 Corinthians 15 42 Commentary

1 Corinthians 15:42 acts as the opening statement in Paul's series of contrasts describing the resurrected body. Utilizing an accessible agricultural metaphor, Paul portrays burial as the "sowing" of a seed – a process leading to life, rather than just an end. He states that the body placed in the ground is characterized by "corruption" (phthora), encompassing its susceptibility to decay, disease, and ultimate physical dissolution. This mortal body is fragile and temporary. However, he then provides the profound antithesis: this same body will be "raised" – not by its own power but by divine agency – in a state of "incorruption" (aphtharsia). This resurrected body will be immune to decay, disease, and death, existing in an eternal and perfected state. Paul emphasizes a continuity of identity (it is this body, transformed) but a radical discontinuity in nature and properties. This declaration was vital for the Corinthian audience, challenging both their Greek cultural disdain for the physical body and any misunderstanding about the nature of a bodily resurrection.