1 Corinthians 15:13

13 If there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then Christ Himself has not risen to life.

1 Corinthians 15:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 15:13

But if there be no resurrection of the dead
If there is no such thing as a resurrection of any, if the thing is not possible, if it never has been, is, or will be true in fact:

then is Christ not risen.
The apostle argues from a general, to a particular; from the general resurrection of the dead, to the particular resurrection of Christ; and from a negation of the one, to a negation of the other; for what does not agree with the whole, does not agree with the part; and what is true of the whole, is true of the part; but if the resurrection of Christ is not true, many are the absurdities that must follow upon it, and which the apostle next enumerates.

1 Corinthians 15:13 In-Context

11 But whether it is I or they, this is the way we preach and the way that you came to believe.

12 But if Christ is preached as having risen from the dead, how is it that some of you say that there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead?

13 If there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then Christ Himself has not risen to life.

14 And if Christ has not risen, it follows that what we preach is a delusion, and that your faith also is a delusion.

15 Nay more, we are actually being discovered to be bearing false witness about God, because we have testified that God raised Christ to life, whom He did not raise, if in reality none of the dead are raised.