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. 27 For e“He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 fNow when all things are made subject to Him, then gthe Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

Effects of Denying the Resurrection

29 Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? 30 And hwhy do we stand in 5jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by ithe boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, jI die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, kI have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, l“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”