1 Corinthians 15:15 kjv
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
1 Corinthians 15:15 nkjv
Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up?if in fact the dead do not rise.
1 Corinthians 15:15 niv
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. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
1 Corinthians 15:15 esv
We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
1 Corinthians 15:15 nlt
And we apostles would all be lying about God ? for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.
1 Corinthians 15 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 15:14 | And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is in vain... | Echoes this verse |
| 1 Cor 15:16 | For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. | Logical implication |
| John 11:25 | Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life." | Connects Jesus to resurrection |
| Acts 2:24 | But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from death's agony. | Proof of resurrection |
| Acts 17:31 | He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice... | Resurrection linked to judgment |
| Romans 1:4 | and by the Spirit of holiness was appointed Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead. | Resurrection as power source |
| Romans 10:9 | If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. | Salvation tied to resurrection |
| 1 Cor 1:18 | For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. | Resurrection's power |
| Gal 1:1 | Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— | Apostolic authority from resurrection |
| 1 Pet 1:3 | Praise be to the living God, who has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. | Resurrection gives living hope |
| John 20:20 | After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. | Witness to resurrection |
| Acts 4:2 | They were annoyed because Paul and Silas were teaching the people the resurrection of the dead. | Resurrection as central teaching |
| 1 Cor 6:14 | And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. | Resurrection as a pattern |
| 1 Cor 15:4 | that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures | Specifics of resurrection |
| John 14:19 | Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. | Life through resurrection |
| Luke 24:46 | He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day... | Prophecy of resurrection |
| Rom 14:9 | For to this end Christ died and lived again that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. | Christ's Lordship via resurrection |
| 2 Cor 4:14 | because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you. | Resurrection of believers |
| Phil 3:10 | I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. | Power found in resurrection |
| Heb 11:1 | Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. | Faith grounded in unseen resurrection |
| 1 John 5:11 | And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. | Life in the resurrected Son |
1 Corinthians 15 verses
1 Corinthians 15 15 Meaning
This verse asserts that if Christ has not been raised, then the preaching of the apostles is futile, and consequently, the faith of believers is also in vain. It highlights the foundational importance of Christ's resurrection to the entirety of Christian belief and practice. Without the resurrection, the core message and salvific power of Christianity are rendered meaningless.
1 Corinthians 15 15 Context
First Corinthians chapter 15 addresses a fundamental challenge within the Corinthian church: the denial of the resurrection of the dead. This denial was undermining the very core of Christian belief, particularly the resurrection of Jesus Christ himself. Paul's argument in this chapter is a robust defense of this central tenet. He systematically builds the case for the resurrection, demonstrating its necessity for the gospel, the apostles' ministry, and the believer's hope. Verse 15 is a crucial part of this argument, emphasizing the logical consequence of a non-resurrected Christ: the entire message is invalid. The historical context involves a Greek culture that often viewed the physical body with skepticism, and some interpretations of Plato's philosophy could lead to a dismissal of bodily resurrection in favor of the immortality of the soul.
1 Corinthians 15 15 Word Analysis
Εἰ (ei): If. A conditional particle introducing a hypothetical situation.
οὖν (oun): therefore. A conjunction indicating a logical conclusion drawn from the previous statement (that Christ was raised).
Χριστός (Christos): Christ. The Messiah, the anointed one. Refers specifically to Jesus.
ἠγέρθη (egērthē): was raised. Aorist passive indicative of ἐγείρω (egeirō), meaning to rouse, awaken, raise up. Highlights the passive reception of the action of resurrection by Christ from God.
κενὸς (kenos): vain, empty, void. Emphasizes the lack of substance or purpose.
ὁ (ho): the. Definite article.
κήρυγμα (kērygma): preaching, proclamation. The public announcement of the gospel message.
ἡμῶν (hēmōn): our. Possessive pronoun, indicating the apostles' preaching.
καὶ (kai): and. Conjunction.
κενὴ (kenē): vain, empty. Feminine form of κενὸς (kenos), agreeing with πίστις (pistis).
ἡ (hē): the. Definite article.
πίστις (pistis): faith, belief, trust. The conviction and reliance on the truth of the gospel message.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Εἰ οὖν ἠγέρθη ὁ Χριστός" (Ei oun egērthē ho Christos): "If then Christ was raised." This is the foundational condition being considered. The "then" (οὖν) connects it to the previous argument, likely the declaration of Christ's burial and resurrection.
- "κενὸν τὸ κήρυγμα ἡμῶν" (kenon to kērygma hēmōn): "vain is our preaching." This links the resurrection directly to the validity of the apostolic message. If Christ is not raised, the very content of their proclamation is without foundation.
- "κενὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν" (kenē kai hē pistis hymōn): "vain also is your faith." This extends the consequence from the preachers to the listeners. If the preaching is empty, then the faith built upon it is also empty. The conjunction "kai" (and/also) emphasizes that both are rendered useless.
1 Corinthians 15 15 Bonus Section
The phrasing "vain is our preaching" (κενὸν τὸ κήρυγμα ἡμῶν) points to the apostles' deep integrity and their commitment to the truth. They preached the resurrection because they witnessed it. Their message had power and validity because Christ was raised. Conversely, "vain is your faith" (κενὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν) highlights the consequence for believers; their trust, worship, and obedience would be misplaced and ultimately futile if the resurrection were not true. This contrasts sharply with the empty promises or fleeting philosophical ideas of the time. The resurrection authenticates Jesus as who He claimed to be and validates the entire message of redemption He offered.
1 Corinthians 15 15 Commentary
The Apostle Paul is relentlessly demonstrating the non-negotiable nature of Christ's resurrection. It’s not merely an add-on to the Christian faith; it's its very bedrock. If the historical reality of Christ's bodily resurrection is denied, then everything that follows collapses. The proclamation of salvation through Him becomes hollow because it implies a victory over death that never occurred. Similarly, the faith of believers, their trust and hope placed in Jesus' accomplished work and future promises, rests entirely on the verified truth of His resurrection. This verse underscores that the gospel is not a philosophical idea but a historical event with profound, salvific implications. The Christian life is lived out of a conviction that Christ truly conquered death, granting life to all who believe.