For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. ] This is a repetition of the argument in ( 1 Corinthians 15:13 ) made partly to show the importance of it, and partly to observe other absurdities, following upon the conclusion of it.
14
And face it - if there's no resurrection for Christ, everything we've told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you've staked your life on is smoke and mirrors.
15
Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ - sheer fabrications, if there's no resurrection.
16
If corpses can't be raised, then Christ wasn't, because he was indeed dead.
17
And if Christ wasn't raised, then all you're doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever.
18
It's even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they're already in their graves.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.