17) From the first deduction, which is now made for the second time, Paul hastens to the second. But if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless, you are yet in your sins. This deduction has been made already in part in connection with the preaching mentioned in v. 14, where both the preaching-and the faith are said to be “empty.” But more must be said. So Paul takes up this deduction independently and expands it and also follows it with two further deductions along the same line, v. 18,
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