Shalom, daq.
daq said:
Kowkab does not only mean "round objects" according to the contextual usages of it found in Scripture:
Genesis 15:1-6
1. After these things the Word of YHWH came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2. And Abram said, 'Adonay YHWH, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3. And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4. And, behold, the Word of YHWH came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6. And he believed in The YHWH; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
The seed of Abram would be as the telling of the stars for number.
Genesis 22:15-18
15. And the Mal'ak of YHWH called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16. And said, By myself have I sworn, saith YHWH, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17. That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
The seed of Abraham as the stars and as the sand of the seashore.
Genesis 26:3-6
3. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5. Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
6. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
And the seed of Isaac would be as the stars of heaven.
Genesis 32:24-30
24. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with 'Elohiym and with men, and hast prevailed.
29. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen 'Elohiym face to face, and my life is preserved.
Jacob was blessed by God and his name was changed to ISRAEL.
Genesis 37:9-11
9. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11. And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
The twelve stars in the dream of Joseph are himself and his eleven brothers: The twelve stars are the twelve sons of Jacob. Jacob already interprets the dream for us revealing himself to be the SUN and Rachel to be the MOON (Rachel was the mother of Joseph). Although Jacob rebukes Joseph over the dream the Scripture explicitly states that Jacob "OBSERVED THE SAYING".
Yacob is the man surnamed "Yisra'el"
ISRAEL = THE SUN
RACHEL = THE MOON
TWELVE TRIBAL HEADS = TWELVE STARS
From here the foundation is laid for all Scripture typology concerning the "Stars of Heaven" and therefore the stars of heaven are PEOPLE. Specifically the Stars of Heaven are the sons of Jacob, the children of Israel, the Twelve Tribes, even the Saints, (there be also the "wandering stars" as mentioned in Jude 1:13).
The Song of Deborah and Barak
Judges 5:14-20
14. Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
15. And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
16. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
19. The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20. They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
Sisera was a Canaanite king defeated at Megiddo.
The typology of Sisera is haSatan, the devil, and the red dragon.
The stars fought from heaven and the stars are the Twelve Tribes.
The stars of Israel jeoparded their lives in "the high places of the field".
The stars loved not their lives unto the death ~ Revelation 12:11
Psalms 147:2-4
2. YHWH doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
All of these above Scripture references to "stars" employ the same Hebrew word "kowkab" concerning the people of God.
Original Strong's Ref. #3556
Romanized kowkab
Pronounced ko-kawb'
probably from the same as HSN3522 (in the sense of rolling) or HSN3554 (in the sense of blazing); a star (as round or as shining); figuratively, a prince:
KJV--star([-gazer]).
In Daniel 8 we read of "the stars of heaven" being trampled by a little horn.
There is a war between the little horn and the Sar-Prince of the tsaba'-army of heaven.
Daniel 8:8-11a KJV
8. Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land [Tsebiy].
10. And it waxed great, even to the host [HSN#6635 tsaba'] of heaven; and it cast down some of the host [HSN#6635 tsaba'] and of the stars [HSN#3556 kowkab] to the ground, and stamped upon them.
11a. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince [HSN#8269 sar] of the host,[HSN#6635 tsaba']
Original Strong's Ref. #6635
Romanized tsaba'
Pronounced tsaw-baw'
or (feminine) tsbadah {tseb-aw-aw'}; from HSN6633; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship):
KJV--appointed time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).
Original Strong's Ref. #8269
Romanized sar
Pronounced sar
from HSN8323; a head person (of any rank or class):
KJV--captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord, ([-task-])master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.
Daniel 8:8-11a
8. Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the Tsebiy-beautiful land.
10. And it waxed great, even to the army of heaven; and it cast down some of the army and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
11a. Yea, he magnified himself even to the Sar of the army . . .
The interpretation given in Daniel 8:25 tells us who "the Sar" is.
He is the "Sar-sariym" which is translated "Prince of princes" . . .
Daniel 8:25 TUA (Transliterated Unaccented Hebrew Bible)
25. W`al- siklow whitsliyach mirmahbyadow. Uwbilbabow yagdiyl. Uwbshalwah yashchiyt rabiym.W`al- Sar- sariym ya`mod. Uwb'epec yad yishaber.
Daniel 8:23-25 KJV
23. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
The Prince or "Captain of the host" is thus clarified to Daniel:
Joshua 5:13-15
13. And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14. And he said, Nay; but as Captain [HSN#8269 sar] of the host [HSN#6635 tsaba'] of YHWH am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
15. And the Captain of the host of YHWH [Sar- tsba' YHWH] said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Joshua 5:15 TUA (Transliterated Unaccented)
15. Wayo'mer sar- tsba' YHWH 'el- Yhowshua`, Shal-na`alka me`al ragleka kiy hamaqowm 'sher 'atah `omed`alayw qodesh! Huw' waya`as Yhowshua` ken.
The Sar of the army of the Stars of Heaven is Miyka'el haSar haGadol ~
Daniel 10:21 KJV
21. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince [HSN#8269 sar].
Daniel 12:1-3 KJV
1. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince [ha-Sar ha-Gadowl] which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars [HSN#3556 kowkab] for ever and ever.
JACOB = ISRAEL
ISRAEL = THE SUN
Stars of Heaven = Army of Heaven - The Tribes - The Saints
Sar-sariym = Prince of princes - Captain of the Army of Heaven
Miyka'el ~ Standing for the children of the people of Daniel
Miyka'el ~ The Great Prince ~ "ha-Sar ha-Gadowl"
In addition to these things the book of the Revelation of Yeshua contains other clear statements concerning "stars" which clearly reveal that they concern much more than simply shining orbs in the heavens. Stars are either angelic messengers, (whether for the good or the evil) or else they may concern people and specifically the people of God:
Revelation 9:1-2 KJV
1. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Revelation 12:3-4 KJV
3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: [Daniel 8:10] and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Who gave you the right to change the Scripture concerning the stars of heaven and people of God?
Who told you that you have the right to teach the machinations of your own vain imagination as truth?
Who whispered in your ear to water down the Word so as to insert your own fleshly perverse mindset into it? :lol:
Get yourself the backbone of a true disciple and let the Word interpret the Word!
Who gave you the right to take an analogy out of its context and apply it willy-nilly everywhere and anywhere you please?!
Really? The stars of heaven represent the "Army of Heaven - The Tribes - The Saints"? So, is that what they mean here?
Job 38:1-7
38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
KJV
You have a few minor errors that have escalated to a major one. First of all, the mother mentioned in Genesis 37:9-11 (the dream that Yowceef-Joseph had and shared with his family), represented by the moon, was Lee'aah-Leah, not Raacheel-Rachel! This dream happened when Yowceef was already 17 years old (Genesis 37:2), and Raacheel died in childbirth with Binyamiyn-Benjamin (Genesis 35:18), probably when Yowceef was less that 5 years old. The only mother - the wife of his father - that he knew at the time was Lee'aah!
Lee'aah was the only stepmother Yowceef had who would know that he ascended to the throne of Pharaoh in Egypt!
Furthermore, the prophecy found within this dream was FULFILLED in Yowceef's lifetime! The word meaning "to bow down (as to royalty)" is "
shaataah," used in Genesis 37:9 and 10. The word is also found in Genesis 42:6 and 43:26 and 28:
Genesis 42:6-9
6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
KJV
Genesis 43:15-30
15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,
20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.
25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
KJV
The word is used again in Genesis 47:27-31:
Genesis 47:27-31
27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.
28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.
29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:
30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.
31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.
KJV
And, if Yisra'eel-Isra'el bowed himself to Yowceef, you can be sure that Lee'aah did as well. Everyone, with the exception of the Pharaoh and perhaps his heirs, would have bowed to Yowceef in Mizraim-Egypt as Pharaoh's second in command.
Thus, the prophecy was FULFILLED!
It is wrong, therefore, to YANK the analogy OUT OF ITS CONTEXT and try to apply it anywhere else! The ONLY other context in which it would be applicable are those contexts that quote the first context, whether directly or indirectly. An example would be Revelation 12:1ff:
Revelation 12:1-2
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
KJV
This appears to be an indirect reference to this dream/prophecy of Yowceef, suggesting that the woman appears to represent the children of Isra'el as a nation. (Of course, it could also be a DIRECT reference to the constellation Virgo, also representing Isra'el, in the
Mazzaarowt (the Zodiac, Job 38:32), giving the precise time of the year and month by where the sun and the moon appear in the constellation. (She's pictured "wearing the sun" as clothes and having "the moon under her feet.")
No one has "changed the Scripture concerning the stars of heaven and the people of God." Who do you think you are to insert your own far-fetched interpretations into the Scriptures to make them unintelligible and change their simple meaning? In Genesis 15:1-6; 22:15-18; and 26:3-6, all that was meant by the saying is, "You're not going to be able to count your children any better than you can count the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore!" And, Genesis 32:24-30 simply passed this promise on to Yitschaq, Avraham's son.
Today, it is estimated that there are between 13 and 14 MILLION Jews in the world, but that's just those who CAN safely report their populations and may not include all of those who are descendants from the other tribes. Furthermore, new pockets of Jewish populations are found each year in some of the most unlikely places!
Then, you asked, "Who told you that you have the right to teach the machinations of your own vain imagination as truth?" And, I say, "Right back at ya', buddy!" Who told you that YOU have the right to teach the nonsense of YOUR own vain imagination as truth?!
To your question, "Who whispered in your ear to water down the Word so as to insert your own fleshly perverse mindset into it?" I answer this: I'm not "watering down the Word"; I'm washing the filth of your teachings OFF of God's pure Word! JUST READ! Let it sink INTO you; quit trying to OVERLAY YOUR thoughts on His Word, passing them off as though they were a part of His Word!
Jeremiah 23:29-32
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord ; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
KJV
Job 19:21-27
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
KJV
Acts 4:33
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
KJV
Romans 1:1-7
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
KJV
Philippians 3:8-14
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
KJV
Revelation 20:6
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
KJV
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
KJV
1 Corinthians 15:1-58
1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I die every day — I mean that, brothers — just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
"Let us eat and drink,for tomorrow we die."
33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God — I say this to your shame.
35 But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55 "Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
NIV