1 Corinthians 15:12-19·~1 min

The Resurrection of the Dead

Paul asks how some can deny resurrection of the dead if Christ is preached as raised. If there is no resurrection, then Christ himself has not been raised, apostolic witness is false, faith is futile, sins remain unforgiven, the dead in Christ are lost, and Christians are pitiable above all people if their hope reaches no farther than this life.

B¹²ut if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. ¹⁵In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.

Section summaryHaving fixed Christ's resurrection at the center, Paul turns to the contradiction in Corinth: some say there is no resurrection of the dead. He traces the consequences of that claim until it empties preaching, faith, forgiveness, hope for the dead, and Christian hope itself.

Role in the chapterThis section exposes denial of resurrection by showing what it destroys. It is the chapter's negative argument, clearing away the position Paul is about to answer positively.