1 Corinthians 15:12–23

Resurrection Essential to the Faith

¹²Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, ^mhow can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? ⁿ¹³But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; ¹⁴and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without foundation, and so is your faith. ^o15In addition, we are found to be false witnesses ^pabout God, because we have testified ^qabout God that He raised up Christ—whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ ^rhave also perished. ¹⁹If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours

²⁰But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits ^sof those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since death ^tcame through a man, ^uthe resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. ^v22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ^w23But each in his own order: ^xChrist, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ.