1 Corinthians 15:44 kjv
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:44 nkjv
It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:44 niv
it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:44 esv
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:44 nlt
They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
1 Corinthians 15 44 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 15:42 | So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable;... | Contrast of perishable/imperishable |
| 1 Cor 15:43 | It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness;... | Contrast of dishonor/glory |
| 1 Cor 15:47 | The first man was from the dust of the earth; the second man is from heaven. | Earthly vs. Heavenly origin |
| 1 Cor 15:49 | Just as we have borne the image of the earthy man, we shall also bear the... | Bearing earthy/heavenly image |
| Phil 3:20-21 | But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord... | Heavenly transformation |
| John 3:12 | If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you... | Earthly vs. heavenly understanding |
| Gen 1:26-27 | Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." | Image of God, earthly creation |
| Gen 3:19 | By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the... | Curse of the fall, earthly toil |
| Rom 8:18-21 | For in hope we are saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes... | Creation groans, hope of redemption |
| 1 John 3:2 | Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet... | Future likeness to Christ |
| Col 3:4 | When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with... | Appears with Christ in glory |
| 2 Cor 5:1-4 | For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we... | Heavenly dwelling, longing |
| Matt 22:30 | For at the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but... | Marriage in resurrection |
| Mark 12:25 | For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in... | Marriage in resurrection |
| Luke 20:34-36 | And Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry and are given... | Resurrection and marriage |
| Acts 17:31 | because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the whole world in... | Judgment by God |
| Rev 21:1-4 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the... | New heavens and new earth |
| Psa 8:4-5 | what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you... | Man's exalted position |
| Isa 25:8 | He will swallow up death forever; the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from... | Victory over death |
| Hos 13:14 | Shall I ransom them from death? Shall I redeem them from the grave?... | Redemptiom from death |
1 Corinthians 15 verses
1 Corinthians 15 44 Meaning
This verse describes the nature of the resurrection body, stating that it is sown in a natural, earthly state but raised in a spiritual, heavenly state. It contrasts the perishable, physical body with the imperishable, spiritual body that believers will receive upon resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15 44 Context
First Corinthians chapter 15 is dedicated to explaining and defending the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Paul addresses various skeptical viewpoints within the Corinthian church. He uses arguments based on nature, the resurrection of Christ, and the implications of Christian belief. This verse is part of a broader section detailing the nature of the resurrection body, moving from the spiritual transformation (v. 44a) to the inherent qualities of this resurrected state (v. 44b).
1 Corinthians 15 44 Word Analysis
ἐστῶν (estōn): Present active participle of εἰμι (eimi), meaning "to be". Here, it signifies the state of being or existence.
καταⲗύεται (katalūetai): Passive voice, present indicative of καταλύω (kataluō), meaning "to destroy, dissolve, demolish, abolish". In this context, it refers to the perishable nature of the physical body that is dissolved or broken down.
ἐγείρεται (egeiretai): Passive voice, present indicative of ἐγείρω (egeirō), meaning "to raise, awaken, rouse". This signifies the act of being raised or brought back to life.
ἀφθαρσία (aphtharsia): Noun, nominative singular, meaning "incorruption, immortality, imperishability". This points to the undying and indestructible quality of the resurrected body.
Body: The body itself, in its earthly, physical form, is the subject.
Sown... Raised: This is a key metaphor, likening the burial of the body to the sowing of a seed. The seed undergoes a process of decay before life emerges. The resurrection is the outcome of this process.
Natural... Spiritual: This distinction is crucial. The "natural" body (ψυχικόν, psychikon) is that which is animated by the natural soul, whereas the "spiritual" body (πνευματικόν, pneumatikon) is animated and characterized by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 15 44 Bonus Section
The "natural" (psychikon) body is distinct from the "carnal" (sarkikos) body. While "natural" refers to being ensouled or having a life principle based on the earthly realm, "carnal" refers specifically to the body dominated by fleshly desires or corruptible human nature after the fall. The resurrection body is both non-natural (i.e., spiritual) and non-carnal. It is perfected, glorious, and free from the effects of sin and the fall. This understanding counters any notion of reincarnation or the transmigration of souls into entirely different forms. It is a transformed version of our own identity, re-formed according to the spiritual reality.
1 Corinthians 15 44 Commentary
Paul emphasizes that the body that is buried is not the body that is raised. There is a radical transformation. The present body is "natural" (psychikon), meaning it is bound by the limitations of this earthly existence, including corruption and death. The resurrected body, however, is "spiritual" (pneumatikon), characterized by incorruption and life that transcends earthly limitations. This is not a destruction of identity but an upgrading and perfecting of the physical form, made glorious and immortal. It reflects the spiritual reality into which believers enter upon resurrection.