^{4 Ref} And he was put in the place of the dead; and on the third day he came back from the dead, as it says in the Writings;

^{5 Ref} And he was seen by Cephas; then by the twelve;

^{6 Ref} Then by more than five hundred brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, but some are sleeping;

^{7 Ref} Then he was seen by James; then by all the Apostles.

^{8 Ref} And last of all, as by one whose birth was out of the right time, he was seen by me.

^{9 Ref} For I am the least of the Apostles, having no right to be named an Apostle, because of my cruel attacks on the church of God.

^{10 Ref} But by the grace of God, I am what I am: and his grace which was given to me has not been for nothing; for I did more work than all of them; though not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

^{11 Ref} If then it is I who am the preacher, or they, this is our word, and to this you have given your faith.

^{12 Ref} Now if the good news says that Christ came back from the dead, how do some of you say that there is no coming back from the dead?

^{13 Ref} But if there is no coming back from the dead, then Christ has not come back from the dead:

^{14 Ref} And if Christ did not come again from the dead, then our good news and your faith in it are of no effect.

^{15 Ref} Yes, and we are seen to be false witnesses of God; because we gave witness of God that by his power Christ came again from the dead: which is not true if there is no coming back from the dead.

¹⁶ For if it is not possible for the dead to come to life again, then Christ has not come to life again:

^{17 Ref} And if that is so, your faith is of no effect; you are still in your sins.

^{18 Ref} And, in addition, the dead in Christ have gone to destruction.

^{19 Ref} If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most unhappy.

^{20 Ref} But now Christ has truly come back from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are sleeping.

^{21 Ref} For as by man came death, so by man there is a coming back from the dead.