The Risen Christ, Our Hope^(A)

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, ^(B)then 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 ^(C)we 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; ^(D)you are still in your sins! ¹⁸ Then also those who have ^[a]fallen ^(E)asleep in Christ have perished. ^19 (F)If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

The Last Enemy Destroyed

²⁰ But now ^(G)Christ is risen from the dead, and has become ^(H)the firstfruits of those who have ^[b]fallen asleep. ²¹ For ^(I)since by man came death, ^(J)by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall ^(K)be made alive. ²³ But ^(L)each 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 ^(M)the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For He must reign ^(N)till He has put all enemies under His feet. ^26 (O)The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For ^(P)“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 (Q)Now when all things are made subject to Him, then ^(R)the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

He Is Risen^(A)

16 Now ^(B)when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome ^(C)bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. ^2 (D)Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. ^5 (E)And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

^6 (F)But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. ⁷ But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going ^[a]before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, ^(G)as He said to you.”

²⁹ “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you ^(A)of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Therefore, being a prophet, ^(B)and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, ^[a]according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, ³¹ he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, ^(C)that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. ^32 (D)This Jesus God has raised up, ^(E)of which we are all witnesses. ³³ Therefore ^(F)being exalted ^[b]to ^(G)the right hand of God, and ^(H)having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He ^(I)poured out this which you now see and hear.

³⁴ “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

³⁶ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

³⁷ Now when they heard this, ^(K)they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, ^(L)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the ^[c]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and ^(M)to your children, and ^(N)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

²⁹ “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you ^(A)of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Therefore, being a prophet, ^(B)and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, ^[a]according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, ³¹ he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, ^(C)that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. ^32 (D)This Jesus God has raised up, ^(E)of which we are all witnesses. ³³ Therefore ^(F)being exalted ^[b]to ^(G)the right hand of God, and ^(H)having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He ^(I)poured out this which you now see and hear.

³⁴ “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

³⁶ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

³⁷ Now when they heard this, ^(K)they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, ^(L)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the ^[c]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and ^(M)to your children, and ^(N)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

Spiritual Wisdom

⁶ However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ^[a]ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for ^(A)had they known, they would not have ^(B)crucified the Lord of glory.

Jesus the True Shepherd

10 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

¹⁰ that I may know Him and the ^(A)power of His resurrection, and ^(B)the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may ^(C)attain^[a] to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already ^(D)attained,^[b] or am already ^(E)perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have ^[c]apprehended; but one thing I do, ^(F)forgetting those things which are behind and ^(G)reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ^14 (H)I press toward the goal for the prize of ^(I)the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.