1 Corinthians 15 13

1 Corinthians 15:13 kjv

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

1 Corinthians 15:13 nkjv

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

1 Corinthians 15:13 niv

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

1 Corinthians 15:13 esv

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

1 Corinthians 15:13 nlt

For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.

1 Corinthians 15 13 Cross References

VerseTextReference
1 Cor 15:12But if it is proclaimed that Christ has been raised from the dead,Fulfillment of earlier affirmation
Acts 17:31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with righteousnessFuture judgment
Romans 1:4and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of GodDivinity and resurrection
Romans 6:4we were therefore buried with him through baptism into deathUnion with Christ in death & resurrection
Romans 8:11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is in youResurrection power dwelling in believers
Romans 8:34Who then will condemn? Christ Jesus who died—moreChrist's advocacy
2 Cor 4:14knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us tooShared resurrection experience
Gal 1:1Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus ChristApostolic authority linked to resurrection
Eph 1:20the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe.Resurrection power as evidence
Phil 3:10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrectionDesire for resurrection’s power
Phil 3:21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything to himselfTransformation through resurrection power
Col 2:12having been buried with him in baptism, in whichSymbolic burial and resurrection
Col 2:13and although you were sinfally dead in your flesh, God made you aliveSpiritual resurrection enablement
1 Thess 4:14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,Faith in Christ’s death and resurrection
2 Tim 2:8Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, from David’s seed.Essential remembrance
Heb 13:20May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternalGod of peace and eternal covenant
1 Pet 1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!Praise for resurrection hope
1 Pet 3:18For Christ also suffered once for sins—the righteous for the unjustSubstitutionary atonement & resurrection outcome
1 Pet 4:5but they will have to give an account to him who is ready to judgeDivine judgment awaiting all
Rev 1:18I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for everChrist's self-declaration of resurrection
Rev 17:14They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb willLamb's victory over opposition
John 11:25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.Christ's identity as resurrection
John 14:19Before long, the world will not see me but you will see me.Continued existence after resurrection
Acts 4:2annoyed because Paul and the other apostle were teaching the peopleApostles teaching resurrection
Acts 26:8Why should any of you think it incredible that God raises the dead?Defense of resurrection
Romans 4:25who was delivered up for our transgressions and raised for our justification.Justification through resurrection
1 Cor 6:14By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.God's power in raising believers

1 Corinthians 15 verses

1 Corinthians 15 13 Meaning

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. This verse directly links the resurrection of believers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, asserting that one cannot logically exist without the other. If Christ is not raised, the Christian faith is rendered void and meaningless, as its foundational event and future hope would be unsubstantiated.

1 Corinthians 15 13 Context

First Corinthians chapter 15 addresses the significant doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, particularly the bodily resurrection of believers. This chapter is a response to Corinthian believers who were denying or doubting the resurrection, likely due to philosophical influences within their Greco-Roman environment. Such skepticism undermined the entire Christian faith. Paul systematically argues for the reality of the resurrection, beginning with Christ's resurrection as the foundational proof and culminating in the future resurrection of believers. Verse 13 serves as a pivotal logical link, asserting that without Christ's resurrection, the resurrection of others is impossible. This emphasizes the centrality of the resurrection of Jesus to the Christian worldview.

1 Corinthians 15 13 Word Analysis

  • εἰ (ei): If. Introduces a conditional statement, setting up a hypothetical scenario to demonstrate a logical consequence.
  • γάρ (gar): For/since. Connects the previous statement or thought (implied from the flow of argument, likely concerning the resurrection message) with the current assertion.
  • νεκρῶν (nekrōn): Of the dead. Genitive plural, referring to those who are dead. It specifically points to the state of death from which resurrection occurs.
  • ἔγερσις (egersis): Resurrection. Noun, derived from the verb egeiro (to raise up, to rouse). This is the core concept being discussed—the act of raising from death.
  • οὐκ (ouk): Not. Absolute negation.
  • ἔστιν (estin): Is. Third-person singular present indicative of eimi (to be).
  • καί (kai): And. Conjunction used here to link two clauses that are closely related or consequential.
  • Χριστός (Christos): Christ. Title, meaning "Anointed One." Refers to Jesus in his messianic capacity.
  • ἐγήγερται (egegetai): Has been raised. Perfect passive indicative of egeiro. This tense emphasizes the completed action and its abiding result – Christ is now in a raised state.

Words-group analysis:

  • "If there is no resurrection of the dead": This phrase establishes the premise of doubt or denial that Paul is addressing. It’s a categorical denial of the resurrection itself, not just a doubt about the method or timing.
  • "then Christ has not been raised": This is the immediate and inescapable logical conclusion derived from the premise. If the general principle of resurrection from death is false, then the supreme instance of it, Christ's resurrection, must also be false. The use of the perfect tense "has been raised" implies a state that is not just an event in the past but a present reality due to His resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15 13 Bonus Section

The resurrection of Christ is presented as the 'firstfruits' (1 Cor 15:20) of those who have fallen asleep. This imagery from the Old Testament harvests (Leviticus 23:10-11) signifies that Christ’s resurrection is not an isolated event but the beginning and guarantee of a coming, much larger harvest of resurrected believers. This perspective underscores that His resurrection anticipates and secures ours. The emphasis on the passive voice ("has been raised") highlights that it is God the Father who raised Jesus, demonstrating God's active power and authority in the resurrection event. This contrasts sharply with pagan myths where resurrection might be self-induced or granted by other deities. For the Corinthian doubters, their Hellenistic philosophical leanings might have favored a spiritual rather than bodily resurrection, a concept Paul directly combats throughout this chapter, insisting on the continuity of the human person through a raised body.

1 Corinthians 15 13 Commentary

Paul is systematically dismantling the erroneous beliefs held by some in Corinth. The core of the gospel message is that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again on the third day (1 Cor 15:1-4). If the resurrection of the dead is not a reality, then the very foundation of this message crumbles. It's not just about Jesus's return to life; it's about His resurrection signifying victory over death and sin, which validates His atoning work and His claims as the Son of God. Without Christ's resurrection, the Christian faith becomes a philosophy of life and a teaching about suffering and ethics, but devoid of a redemptive sacrifice and a promised future for believers. Therefore, the resurrection of Christ is non-negotiable for Christian doctrine; it is the ultimate sign of God's power and the promise of future life for all who are in Him.