The Necessity of the Resurrection
Now if Christ be proclaimed
That from among the dead He hath been raised,
How say some among you —
Resurrection of the dead there is none?
But if resurrection of the dead there is none, -
Not even Christ hath been raised.
And if Christ hath not been raised,
Void after all is our proclamation,
Void also our faith, -
And we are found even false witnesses of God,
Because we have witnessed respecting God
That He raised the Christ, -
Whom He did not raise,
If indeed, after all, the dead are not raised!
For if the dead are not raised,
Not even Christ hath been raised;
And if Christ hath not been raised,
To no purpose is your faith,
Ye are yet in your sins!
Hence also they who are fallen asleep in Christ are lost:
If in this life in Christ we have hoped — and that is all,
We are of all men most to be pitied.
But now hath Christ been raised from among the dead,
A first-fruit of them who have fallen asleep.