Resurrection Essential to the Gospel

15 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand^(A)

² and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.^(A)

¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.^{[a] 15} Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses^(A) about God, because we have testified^(B) wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised.

¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours

²⁰ But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits^(A) of those who have fallen asleep.