1 Corinthians 15 · Verse 13

1 Corinthians 15:13

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1 Corinthians 15:13, King James Version

1 Corinthians 15:13 in other translations

BSBIf there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
WEBBut if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.
ASVBut if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised:
YLTand if there be no rising again of dead persons, neither hath Christ risen;
DARBYBut if there is not a resurrection of those that are dead, neither is Christ raised:
BBEBut if there is no coming back from the dead, then Christ has not come back from the dead:
WebsterBut if there is no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not raised.

What does 1 Corinthians 15:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. If there be no general resurrection, which is the consequent, then there can have been no resurrection of Christ, which is the antecedent. The head and the members of the body stand on the same footing: what does not hold good of them, does not hold good of Him either: His resurrection and theirs are inseparably joined (compare 1Co 15:20-22; Joh 14:19).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead. If the whole subject is held to be impossible and absurd, then it must follow that Christ is not risen, since there were the same difficulties in the way of raising him up which will exist in any case. He was dead; and was buried. He had lain in the grave three days. His human soul had left the body. His frame had become cold and stiff. The blood had ceased to circulate, and the lungs to heave. In his case there was the same difficulty in raising him up to life that there is in any other; and if it is held to be impossible and absurd that the dead should rise, then it must follow that Christ has not been raised. This is the first consequence which Paul states as resulting from the denial of this doctrine, and this is inevitable. Paul thus shows them that the denial of the doctrine, or the maintaining the general proposition, "that the dead would not rise," led also to the denial of the fact that the Lord Jesus had risen, and, consequently, to the denial of Christianity altogether, and the annihilation of all their hopes. There was, moreover, such a close connexion between Christ and his people, that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus made their resurrection certain. See 1Thes 4:14. Jn 14:19.

(c) "but if there be no resurrection" 1Thes 4:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 If there be no resurrection of the dead - As Christ was partaker of the same flesh and blood with us, and he promised to raise mankind from the dead through his resurrection, if the dead rise not then Christ has had no resurrection. There seem to have been some at Corinth who, though they denied the resurrection of the dead, admitted that Christ had risen again: the apostle's argument goes therefore to state that, if Christ was raised from the dead, mankind may be raised; if mankind cannot be raised from the dead, then the body of Christ was never raised.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Having shown that Christ was risen, the apostle answers those who said there would be no resurrection. There had been no justification, or salvation, if Christ had not risen. And must not faith in Christ be vain, and of no use, if he is still among the dead? The proof of the resurrection of the body is the resurrection of our Lord. Even those who died in the faith, had perished in their sins, if Christ had not…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 →

1 Corinthians 15:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἰeiIfG1487
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἀνάστασιςanastasisa resurrectionG386
νεκρῶνnekrōnof [the] deadG3498
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστιν,estinthere is,G1510
οὐδὲoudeneitherG3761
ΧριστὸςChristosChristG5547
ἐγήγερται·egēgertaihas been raised;G1453

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 15:13

  • John 11:25-26

    Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

  • Romans 8:11

    But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:14

    For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

  • Revelation 1:18

    I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

  • 1 Peter 1:3

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

  • 2 Corinthians 4:10-14

    Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; …

  • Romans 4:24-25

    But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

  • 2 Timothy 4:8

    Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:20

    But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

  • Hebrews 13:20

    Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

  • Colossians 3:1-4

    If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

  • Romans 8:23

    And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
20; Joh 11:25,26; Ac 23:8; Ro 4:24,25; 8:11,23; 2Co 4:10-14
Col 3:1-4; 1Th 4:14; 2Ti 4:8; Heb 2:14; 13:20; 1Pe 1:3; Re 1:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 15:12

    Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

  • 1 Corinthians 15:13

    But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

  • 1 Corinthians 15:14

    And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque si no hay resurrección de muertos, Cristo tampoco resucitó:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais s’il n’y a pas de résurrection de morts, Christ n’a pas été ressuscité non plus;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn es aber keine Auferstehung der Toten gibt, so ist auch Christus nicht auferweckt;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si autem resurrectio mortuorum non est: neque Christus resurrexit.