1 Corinthians 15:12-28

New Testament for Everyone

What if the Messiah wasn’t raised?

¹²Well, then: if the royal proclamation of the Messiah is made on the basis that he’s been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no such thing as resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no such thing as resurrection of the dead, the Messiah hasn’t been raised, either; ¹⁴and if the Messiah hasn’t been raised, our royal proclamation is empty, and so is your faith. ¹⁵We even turn out to have been misrepresenting God, because we gave it as our evidence about God that he raised the Messiah, and—if the dead really are not raised—he didn’t! ¹⁶For if the dead aren’t raised, the Messiah wasn’t raised either; ¹⁷and if the Messiah wasn’t raised, your faith is pointless, and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸What’s more, people who have fallen asleep in the Messiah have perished for good. ¹⁹If it’s only for this present life that we have put our hope in the Messiah, we are the most pitiable members of the human race.

The reign of the Messiah

²⁰But in fact the Messiah has been raised from the dead, as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since it was through a human that death arrived, it’s through a human that the resurrection from the dead has arrived. ²²All die in Adam, you see, and all will be made alive in the Messiah.

²³Each, however, in proper order. The Messiah rises as the first fruits; then those who belong to the Messiah will rise at the time of his royal arrival. ²⁴Then comes the end, the goal, when he hands over the kingly rule to God the father, when he has destroyed all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵He has to go on ruling, you see, until “he has put all his enemies under his feet.” ²⁶Death is the last enemy to be destroyed, ²⁷because “he has put all things in order under his feet.” But when it says that everything is put in order under him, it’s obvious that this doesn’t include the one who put everything in order under him. ²⁸No: when everything is put in order under him, then the son himself will be placed in proper order under the one who placed everything in order under him, so that God may be all in all.

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1 Corinthians 15:12-28

New International Version

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹²But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,^(A) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection^(B) of the dead?^(C) ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴And if Christ has not been raised,^(D) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.^(E) But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.^(F) ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep^(G) in Christ are lost. ¹⁹If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.^(H)

²⁰But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,^(I) the firstfruits^(J) of those who have fallen asleep.^(K) ²¹For since death came through a man,^(L) the resurrection of the dead^(M) comes also through a man. ²²For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.^(N) ²³But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;^(O) then, when he comes,^(P) those who belong to him.^(Q) ²⁴Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom^(R) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.^(S) ²⁵For he must reign^(T) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.^(U) ²⁶The last enemy to be destroyed is death.^(V) ²⁷For he “has put everything under his feet.”^[a]^(W) Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.^(X) ²⁸When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,^(Y) so that God may be all in all.^(Z)