1 Corinthians 15 · Verse 16

1 Corinthians 15:16

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1 Corinthians 15:16, King James Version

1 Corinthians 15:16 in other translations

BSBFor if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised.
WEBFor if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised.
ASVFor if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised:
YLTfor if dead persons do not rise, neither hath Christ risen,
DARBYFor if those that are dead are not raised, neither is Christ raised;
BBEFor if it is not possible for the dead to come to life again, then Christ has not come to life again:
WebsterFor if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

What does 1 Corinthians 15:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. The repetition implies the unanswerable force of the argument.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. For if the dead rise not, etc. This is a repetition of what is said in 1Cor 15:13. It is repeated her, evidently, because of its importance. It was a great and momentous truth which would bear repetition, that if there was no resurrection, as some held, then it would follow that the Lord Jesus was not raised up.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 False witnesses - As having testified the fact of Christ's resurrection, as a matter which ourselves had witnessed, when we knew that we bore testimony to a falsehood. But could five hundred persons agree in this imposition? And if they did, is it possible that some one would not discover the cheat, when he could have no interest in keeping the secret, and might greatly promote his secular interest by making the discovery? Such a case never occurred, and never can occur. The testimony, therefore, concerning the resurrection of Christ, is incontrovertibly true. If so be that the dead rise not - This clause is wanting in DE, Syriac, some of the Slavonian, and Itala; several also of the primitive fathers omit it. Its great similarity to the following words might be the cause of its omission by some copyists.

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 15:16 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
γὰρgarforG1063
νεκροὶnekroi[the] deadG3498
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐγείρονται,egeirontaiare raised,G1453
οὐδὲoudeneitherG3761
ΧριστὸςChristosChristG5547
ἐγήγερται·egēgertaihas been raised;G1453

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

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 15:15

    Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:16

    For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

  • 1 Corinthians 15:17

    And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque si los muertos no resucitan, tampoco Cristo resucitó:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car si les morts ne ressuscitent pas, Christ n’a pas été ressuscité non plus;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn wenn Tote nicht auferweckt werden, so ist auch Christus nicht auferweckt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nam si mortui non resurgunt, neque Christus resurrexit.