15:12 Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, 1 how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty. 15:15 Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised. 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins. 15:18 Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep 2 in Christ have also perished. 15:19 For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.
15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 15:21 For since death came through a man, 3 the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. 4 15:22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him. 5
1 tn Grk “that he has been raised from the dead.”
2 tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6. This term is also used in v. 20.
3 tn Or “through a human being” (a reference to Adam).
4 tn Or “through a human being” (a reference to Jesus Christ).
5 tn Grk “then those who belong to Christ, at his coming.”