³ For ^(A)I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died ^(B)for our sins ^(C)in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised ^(D)on the third day ^(E)in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵ and that ^(F)he appeared to Cephas, then ^(G)to the twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to ^(H)James, then ^(I)to all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, as to one untimely born, ^(J)he appeared also to me. ⁹ For ^(K)I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because ^(L)I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, ^(M)I worked harder than any of them, ^(N)though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. ¹¹ Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, ^(O)how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, ^(P)then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that ^(Q)he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and ^(R)you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who ^(S)have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in Christ we have hope^[a] in this life only, ^(T)we are of all people most to be pitied.