1 Corinthians 15:13 (DBY)

Passage

But if there is not a resurrection of [those that are] dead, neither is Christ raised:

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 15:11 Whether, therefore, I or they, thus we preach, and thus ye have believed.

1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ is preached that he is raised from among [the] dead, how say some among you that there is not a resurrection of [those that are] dead?

1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there is not a resurrection of [those that are] dead, neither is Christ raised:

1 Corinthians 15:14 but if Christ is not raised, then, indeed, vain also [is] our preaching, and vain also your faith.

1 Corinthians 15:15 And we are found also false witnesses of God; for we have witnessed concerning God that he raised the Christ, whom he has not raised if indeed [those that are] dead are not raised.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "resurrection", "dead", "neither", "christ", and "raised". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "resurrection" and "dead", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Now if Christ is preached that he..." into verse 14's "but if Christ is not raised then...", so "resurrection" and "dead" belong inside that flow. In 1 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "resurrection" and "dead" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.