Resurrection Essential to the Gospel

15 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand^{(A) 2} and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.^{(B) 3} For I passed on to you^(C) as most important what I also received: that Christ died^(D) for our sins according to the Scriptures,^{(E) 4} that he was buried,^(F) that he was raised on the third day^(G) according to the Scriptures,^{(H) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas,^(I) then to the Twelve.^{(J) 6} Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time;^(K) most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James,^(L) then to all the apostles.^{(M) 8} Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time,^[a](N) he also appeared to me.^(O)

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles,^(P) not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(Q) the church of God.