Old/New Testament

The resurrection of the dead.

15 Brethren, as pertaining to the gospel that I preached to you, which you have also accepted, and in which you continue, ² by which also you are saved, I call to your mind how I preached to you – if you keep it, unless you have believed in vain. ³ For first of all I delivered to you that which I received: how Christ died for our sins, agreeing to the scriptures; ⁴ and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day in accordance with the scriptures; ⁵ and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. ⁶ After that he was seen by more than 500 brethren at once, of whom many remain to this day, and many have fallen asleep. ⁷ After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

⁸ And last of all he was seen by me, as by one who was born out of due time. ⁹ For I am the least of all the apostles, and am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the congregation of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace in me was not in vain, but I laboured more greatly than them all – yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me. ¹¹ Whether then it was I or they, so we preach, and so you have believed.

¹² If Christ is preached, that he rose from the dead, how is it that some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ If there is no rising again of the dead, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁴ If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain. ¹⁵ Yea, and we are found to be false witnesses of God, for we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up if it be so that the dead rise not again. ¹⁶ For if the dead do not rise again, then Christ is not risen again. ¹⁷ And if it be so that Christ did not rise, then your faith is in vain, and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ And, moreover, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If it is in this life only that we believe on Christ, then we are of all men the most miserable.

²⁰ But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who sleep. ²¹ For by a man came death, and by a man came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as through Adam all die, even so through Christ shall all be made alive, ²³ and each one in his own order. The first is Christ, then those who are Christ’s at his coming. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he has delivered up the kingdom to God the Father, when he has put down all rule, authority, and power. ²⁵ For he must reign till he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is evident that he who put all things under him is excepted. ²⁸ When all things are subdued to him, then shall the Son also himself be subject to him who put things under him, so that God may be all in all things.