² being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

^18 [a]Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this ^[b]babbler want to say?”

Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them ^(A)Jesus and the resurrection.

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen ^[a]asleep, lest you sorrow ^(A)as others ^(B)who have no hope. ¹⁴ For ^(C)if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him ^(D)those who ^[b]sleep in Jesus.

¹⁴ But this I confess to you, that according to ^(A)the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the ^(B)God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in ^(C)the Law and in the Prophets. ^15 (D)I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, ^(E)that there will be a resurrection ^[a]of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.

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.

¹¹ But if the Spirit of ^(A)Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, ^(B)He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies ^[a]through His Spirit who dwells in you.

¹³ And since we have ^(A)the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ^(B)“I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that ^(C)He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

²³ But ^(A)each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

^23 (A)that the Christ would suffer, ^(B)that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and ^(C)would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”