The Risen Christ, Faith’s Reality

15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel awhich I preached to you, which also you received and bin which you stand, 2 cby which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless dyou believed in vain.

3 For eI delivered to you first of all that fwhich I also received: that Christ died for our sins gaccording to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day haccording to the Scriptures, 5 iand that He was seen by 1Cephas, then jby the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have 2fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then kby all the apostles. 8 lThen last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

9 For I am mthe least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because nI persecuted the church of God. 10 But oby the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, pyet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Risen Christ, Our Hope

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, qthen Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because rwe have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; syou are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have 3fallen tasleep in Christ have perished. 19 uIf in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

The Last Enemy Destroyed

20 But now vChrist is risen from the dead, and has become wthe firstfruits of those who have 4fallen asleep. 21 For xsince by man came death, yby Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall zbe made alive. 23 But aeach one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers bthe kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign ctill He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 dThe last enemy that will be destroyed is death.