1 Cor. 15:1-11 Paul reminds the believers about the resurrection of Jesus. “I passed on to you what I received … that Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say; that he was buried and was raised to life on the third day… he was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles. After that, Jesus was seen by more than 500 of the believers at the same time… Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all he was seen by me” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) (see Luke 24:34-36, Matthew 28:16-17, Mark 16:14, John 20:19 & Acts 9:3-6).
1 Cor. 15:12-58 Paul assures the believers that they, too, will rise from death. “But Christ has truly been raised from the dead – the first one and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
Their risen body, however, will be renewed and will be different to a believer’s body when it’s buried in the ground ("planted") after death. “The body that is “planted” is a physical body” – a ‘normal’ body that will perish. “When it is raised, it is a spiritual body” – a renewed body brought to life by God’s Spirit, that will never perish (1 Corinthians 15:44).
Paul urges the wealthy Corinthian church to help the impoverished believers in Jerusalem
Paul's future plans
1 Cor. 16:1-4 Paul urges the Corinthian believers – like those in Galatia – to make a monetary offering when they meet each Sunday so that, when he visits them next, they can send a gift to help the believers in Judaea.
1 Cor. 16:5-12 Paul outlines his plans to spend several months during the following winter at Corinth after he has revisited Macedonia (see Acts 20:1-3 and 3 & 4 on Map 25). He commends to them Timothy (whom he expects to arrive shortly from Philippi) and Apollos, who is in Ephesus with Paul as he writes.
1 Cor. 16:13-24 In his final words, Paul sends greetings from Aquila and Priscilla, in whose house he is staying in Ephesus and with whom he had lodged in Corinth during his earlier visit (see Acts 18:24-28). He closes with the Aramaic words ‘Marana tha’ – meaning ‘Come, Lord!’ – a very early Christian prayer in anticipation of Jesus’s return (see 1 Corinthians 16:22).