9 Then in the end, he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 3 For I am the least of the Christ as a firstfruit, then they that apostles, one not worthy to be called are Christ's. an apostle, because I persecuted the congregation of God; nevertheless by the grace of God I am what I am. And his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, for I have labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me 10 But he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. II And when all things have been subjected to him, then shall the son also himself be subjected, that God may be all in all. 4 Whether, then, it were I or they to whom Christ reappeared, thus we preach, and thus ye believe. But if Christ be preached that he hath reappeared from the dead, how is it 12 I protest by that glorying in that some among you say, that you, brethren, which I have in there is no resurrection of the dead? Christ Jesus our Master; I die daily. If there be no resurrection of the If after the manner of men I fought dead, then Christ did not rise; and with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it if Christ did not rise, then is our profit me? preaching vain, and vain also is your faith. 5 And we are also found false witnesses concerning God; because we testified concerning God that he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up, if so be that the dead do not rise. For if the dead rise not, then Christ hath not risen; and if Christ hath not risen, in vain is your faith, ye are yet in your transgressions; and also they that have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 6 If only in the present life we have hope in Christ, then of all men, we are most miserable. 7 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, as the firstfruits of them that have fallen asleep. By man came death, by man also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 13 If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. But be not deceived: Evil company doth corrupt good manners. 14 Awake up righteously, and transgress not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to shame. SELECTION XI. The resurrection is spiritual survival, or, a rising up of the spirit from the power of death. BUT some one will say, How are the dead raised up? With what kind of a body do they appear? Thou foolish one! that which thou sowest is not brought to life unless it die; and not the body that is to be, dost thou sow, but a simple grain, of wheat, perhaps, or of some of the other kinds of grains; and God 8 But each in his own order: provideth it a body such as he pleaseth, and to each seed its own body. 8 Where, O death, is thy sting? and, Where is thy victory? The sting of death is transgression; and the law gives it power. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Master. 9 Therefore, beloved brethren, 2 There are heavenly bodies, even as there are earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another; even as there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and an- be steadfast, immovable, always other glory of the stars; and among abounding in the work of the Lord, the stars one differeth from an- since ye know that your labor is not other in its glory; so is it in the in vain. resurrection of the dead. 3 They are sown in corruption, they are raised in incorruption ; they are sown in dishonor, they are raised in glory; they are sown in IO Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. SELECTION XII. How the true benefactor of men re weakness, they are raised in power; joices in their joys, and is distressed in they are sown as animal bodies, they their sorrows. are raised as spiritual bodies. BLESSED be the God and Father of Jesus Christ our Master, 4 If there is an animal body, there is also a spiritual body; the spirit- the Father of mercies, and God of ual, however, is not first, but the all comfort, who comforteth us in animal; and afterward the spiritual. all our distress; that we also may 5 The first condition of man is of be able to comfort those who are in the earth, earthy; the second is from any distress by the same comfort as heaven: as the earthy is perishable, that wherewith we ourselves are so also are they that are earthy; comforted by God. as the heavenly is enduring, so also are they that are heavenly; and as we have borne the image of the earthy, so also shall we bear the image of the heavenly. 2 For as the same sufferings which Christ endured abound in us, so through Christ doth our comfort also abound to others. 3 And whether we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation, the power of which is manifest in enabling you to bear patiently the same sufferings which we also bear, and our hope is steadfast in your behalf; or whether we are comforted, it also is for your comfort and 6 Now this I affirm, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption; this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 7 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this salvation; for we know that as ye mortal shall have put on immortality, then will be brought to pass that which is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. are sharers in the sufferings, so also ye will be sharers in the comfort. 4 And our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we have conducted ourselves in the Christ, and manifesteth through us world, and especially toward you, in the blessedness of the knowledge simplicity, and in the sincerity which of him in every place. We are to is of God; not according to worldly God a sweet savor of Christ, both wisdom, but according to the grace among those who are being saved, of God. And I trust ye will ac- and among those who are perishing; knowledge even to the end, as also to the latter we are indeed the ye have already acknowledged in savor of death, producing death; part, that we are your glorying, as but to the former, the savor of life, ye also are ours, in the day of Jesus producing life. Christ our Master. II Who is sufficient for these 5 Now he who maketh us with things? Let us not be as the many, you steadfast in the Anointed, and who make merchandise from the hath anointed us also, is God; he word of God; but as from sincerity, also hath sealed us, and hath given as from God, as in the sight of God, the Spirit as a pledge in our hearts. even as Christ spake, so let us speak. 6 Out of much distress and anguish of heart I write to you with many tears, not that ye should be made sorrowful, but that ye might know the exceeding love which I have for you. 7 If any one hath caused grief, he hath caused it not to me alone, but in a measure (not to be too severe on him) to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment, that he hath caused grief to many; so that instead of greater punishment ye ought rather to forgive, and console him, lest perchance he should be swallowed up with over-much sor row. 8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him; to whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also; and what I have forgiven for your sakes, I forgave it in the name of Christ. 9 Let not the Evil One gain an advantage over us, and let us not be ignorant of his devices. 10 But thanks be to God, who maketh us always to triumph through SELECTION XIII. The Divine Spirit, communicating with the soul of man, is true revelation, granted to all who will receive it; but on account of increase in wisdom, the letter of revela SHALL we begin again to recom mend ourselves? Do we need, like some others, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; since, by means of our service, ye are manifestly shown to be a letter of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on the more sensitive tablets of the heart. 3 Such confidence as this we have through Christ toward God; not that we are able unassisted to think of any thing, as from ourselves; for our ability is from God; who also enabled us to be ministers of a new covenant, which is not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kill- the Lord, we are changed into the eth, but the spirit giveth life. same image from glory to glory. 4 Now, if the ministration of death 8 Therefore, having this gospel, was so glorious when engraved in through the favor we received, we letters on stones, that the children are no longer faint-hearted; having of Israel could not steadfastly look renounced the dishonesty and shame into the face of Moses on account of of hidden things, we no longer walk the brightness of his countenance, in craftiness, nor adulterate the word (which written ministration was only of God, but by speaking the truth temporary, and designed to pass we commend ourselves to the conaway,) shall not the ministration of science of every man, as in the sight the Spirit be even more glorious? of God. If the ministration of condemnation 9 And if our gospel is veiled, it is had glory, shall not the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory? 5 Thus, even that which was once glorious hath ceased to be glorious, on account of the glory by which it is now exceeded; for if that which was to be superseded was glorious, much more glorious is that which is to endure. veiled to them that perish; the God of this world having blinded their understandings, so that they, being unbelievers, cannot behold the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the semblance of God. 10 And we do not proclaim ourselves as the Master, but Christ Jesus, and ourselves your bond-servants on Jesus' account; for God, that said, Out of darkness light shall shine, even he, through the person of Christ, hath shined in our hearts with the illumination of his own knowledge and glory. SELECTION XIV. 6 Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech, and do not as Moses did; for he put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel might not clearly see the end of that which was to be superseded. So it was that their understandings were blinded; and until this day, when the old covenant is read, the same veil remaineth, since it is not revealed to them that the law is superseded by the gospel of Christ. courageous, devout, and pure, may desire Even till this day, when Moses is rather than fear it, as a departure to better read, there lieth a veil upon their companionships and to a brighter home. heart; but whenever they turn to BUT we have this treasure in the Lord, the veil is removed; for the Lord is a Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Death is only the spirit's change of habiliment and surroundings; those whose present lives have been self-sacrificing, earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not of us; for we are troubled on every side, yet not disturbed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; we are persecuted, but 7 But we all, by the Spirit of the Lord, look with unveiled face; and beholding as in a mirror the glory of not forsaken; we are cast down, but not destroyed. Continually we bear when we have put off our present about in the body the death of Jesus, habitation, we shall not be found that the life also of Jesus may be manifested through us. 2 For we who are alive are unceasingly delivered up to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in us; thus it is that death worketh in us, in order to produce life in you. 3 But we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I believed, and therefore I spoke. We also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that he who raised up Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus, and will present us with you. 4 For all that we do, we do for your sakes: that grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. naked. 7 So while in this habitation we groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 8 Now he that hath created us with this very longing is God; who also hath given to us the Spirit as a pledge of its fulfilment. 9 We have courage, therefore, always, and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight. We have courage, I say, and would be pleased rather to depart from the body, in order to be at home with the Lord. 10 However, we also strive that, whether at home or absent, we may be approved by him; for before the tribunal of Christ we must all be made manifest in judgment, that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he did, whether good or bad. 5 On this account we are not faint-hearted; but though our outward man is perishing, yet is the inward man renewed day by day. And our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working out for us, in a higher and still higher degree, an everlasting weight of glory; while we look not at things seen, but at things unseen; for the things which are seen are but for a time; but the made manifest before your conthings which are unseen are everlast- sciences. ing. II Knowing therefore the judgments of the Lord, we persuade men; but before God we are already made manifest, and I trust also are SELECTION XV. 6 And we know that, if our earthly tent, in which we now tabernacle, As Christ sought to reconcile men to be destroyed, we have a building God, so all true followers of Christ will provided by God, a house not made seek to do; and this, as he did, with comwith hands, everlasting, in the plete consecration, even to yielding up life heavens. While we remain in this, itself, if need be, in testimony to the truth. we groan, earnestly desiring to be WE E are not again commending clothed upon with our habitation. ourselves to you, but giving which is from heaven; for, indeed, you occasion to glory on our behalf; |