The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel^(A) I preached to you,^(B) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved,^(C) if you hold firmly^(D) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

³ For what I received^(E) I passed on to you^(F) as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins^(G) according to the Scriptures,^{(H) 4} that he was buried,^(I) that he was raised^(J) on the third day^(K) according to the Scriptures,^{(L) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas,^[b](M) and then to the Twelve.^{(N) 6} After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.^{(O) 7} Then he appeared to James,^(P) then to all the apostles,^{(Q) 8} and last of all he appeared to me also,^(R) as to one abnormally born.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles^(S) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(T) the church of God.^{(U) 10} But by the grace^(V) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me^(W) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them^(X)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.^{(Y) 11} Whether, then, it is I or they,^(Z) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,^(AA) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection^(AB) of the dead?^{(AC) 13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised,^(AD) 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.^(AE) 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.^{(AF) 18} Then those also who have fallen asleep^(AG) in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.^(AH)

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,^(AI) the firstfruits^(AJ) of those who have fallen asleep.^(AK)

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood^(A) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,^(B) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.^{(C) 51} Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(D) We will not all sleep,^(E) but we will all be changed^(F)— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(G) the dead^(H) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable^(I) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(J) 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.”^[a](K)

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin,^(M) and the power of sin is the law.^{(N) 57} But thanks be to God!^(O) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.^(P)

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,^(Q) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.^(R)