1 Corinthians 15:1-34 (New International Version)

The Resurrection of Christ

1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel¹ I preached to you,² which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved,³ if you hold firmly⁴ to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received⁵ I passed on to you⁶ as of first importance^a: that Christ died for our sins⁷ according to the Scriptures,⁸ 4 that he was buried,⁹ that he was raised¹⁰ on the third day¹¹ according to the Scriptures,¹² 5 and that he appeared to Peter,^b13 and then to the Twelve.¹⁴ 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.¹⁵ 7 Then he appeared to James,¹⁶ then to all the apostles,¹⁷ 8 and last of all he appeared to me also,¹⁸ as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles¹⁹ and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted²⁰ the church of God.²¹ 10 But by the grace²² of God I am what I am, and his grace to me²³ was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them²⁴--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.²⁵ 11 Whether, then, it was I or they,²⁶ this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,²⁷ how can some of you say that there is no resurrection²⁸ of the dead?²⁹ 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised,³⁰ our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.³¹ But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.³² 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep³³ in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.³⁴ 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,³⁵ the firstfruits³⁶ of those who have fallen asleep.³⁷ 21 For since death came through a man,³⁸ the resurrection of the dead³⁹ comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.⁴⁰ 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits;⁴¹ then, when he comes,⁴² those who belong to him.⁴³ 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom⁴⁴ to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.⁴⁵ 25 For he must reign⁴⁶ until he has put all his enemies under his feet.⁴⁷ 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.⁴⁸ 27 For he "has put everything under his feet."^c49 Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.⁵⁰ 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,⁵¹ so that God may be all in all.⁵² 29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?⁵³ 31 I die every day⁵⁴--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts⁵⁵ in Ephesus⁵⁶ for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."^d57 33 Do not be misled:⁵⁸ "Bad company corrupts good character."⁵⁹ 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God⁶⁰--I say this to your shame.⁶¹