Psalm 16

A miktam^[a] of David.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² But 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) 13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised,^(D) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More 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. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.^{(F) 18} Then those also who have fallen asleep^(G) in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.^(H)

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,^(I) the firstfruits^(J) of those who have fallen asleep.^(K)

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

³⁸ Jesus, once more deeply moved,^(A) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.^{(B) 39} “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”^(C)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe,^(D) you will see the glory of God?”^(E)

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up^(F) and said, “Father,^(G) I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,^(H) that they may believe that you sent me.”^(I)

⁴³ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”^{(J) 44} The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,^(K) and a cloth around his face.^(L)

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,^(M) and had seen what Jesus did,^(N) believed in him.^{(O) 46} But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees^(P) called a meeting^(Q) of the Sanhedrin.^(R)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.^{(S) 48} If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

⁴⁹ Then one of them, named Caiaphas,^(T) who was high priest that year,^(U) spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”^(V)

⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵² and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.^{(W) 53} So from that day on they plotted to take his life.^(X)