⁸ Therefore He says:

^9 (B)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also ^[a]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One ^(C)who ascended far above all the heavens, ^(D)that He might fill all things.)

¹⁶ For ^(A)the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with ^(B)the trumpet of God. ^(C)And the dead in Christ will rise first.

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.