The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now I want you to understand, brothers and sisters, the good news^[a] that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand,^{(A) 2} through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.^(B)

³ For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures^{(C) 4} and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures^{(D) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.^{(E) 6} Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.^{[b] 7} Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.^{(F) 8} Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.^{(G) 9} For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.^{(H) 10} But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me.^{(I) 11} Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised, ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.^{(J) 16} For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷ If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have died^[c] in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

²⁰ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.^{[d](K) 21} For since death came through a human, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human,^{(L) 22} for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. ²³ But each in its own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power.^{(M) 25} For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.^{(N) 26} The last enemy to be destroyed is death.^(O)

⁵¹ Look, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die,^[a] but we will all be changed,^{(A) 52} in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.^{(B) 53} For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ When this perishable body puts on imperishability and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

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