1 Corinthians 15 · Verse 2

1 Corinthians 15:2

By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:2, King James Version

1 Corinthians 15:2 in other translations

BSBBy this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
WEBby which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
ASVby which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.
YLTthrough which also ye are being saved, in what words I proclaimed good news to you, if ye hold fast, except ye did believe in vain,
DARBYby which also ye are saved, (if ye hold fast the word which I announced to you as the glad tidings,) unless indeed ye have believed in vain.
BBEBy which you have salvation; that is to say, the form in which it was given to you, if it is fixed in your minds, and if your faith in it is not without effect.
WebsterBy which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached to you, unless ye have believed in vain.

What does 1 Corinthians 15:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. ye are saved--rather, "ye are being saved." if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you--Able critics, Bengel and others, prefer connecting the words thus, "I declare unto you the Gospel (1Co 15:1) in what words I preached it unto you." Paul reminds them, or rather makes known to them, as if anew, not only the fact of the Gospel, but also with what words, and by what arguments, he preached it to them. Translate in that case, "if ye hold it fast." I prefer arranging as English Version, "By which ye are saved, if ye hold fast (in memory and personal appropriation) with what speech I preached it unto you." unless--which is impossible, your faith is vain, in resting on Christ's resurrection as an objective reality.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. By which also ye are saved. On which your salvation depends; the belief of which is indispensable to your salvation. Mk 16:16. The apostle thus shows the importance of the doctrine. In every respect it demanded their attention. It was that which was first preached among them; that which they had solemnly professed; that by which they had been built up; and that which was connected with their salvation. It does not mean simply that by this they were brought into a salvable state, (Clarke, Macknight, Whitby, Bloomfield, etc.;) but it means that their hopes of eternal life rested on this; and by this they were then, in fact, saved from the condemnation of sin, and were in the possession of the hope of eternal life.

If ye keep in memory. Margin, as in the Greek, if ye hold fast. The idea is, that they were saved by this, or would be, if they faithfully retained or held the doctrine as he delivered it; if they observed it, and still believed it, notwithstanding all the efforts of their enemies, and all the arts of false teaching to wrest it from them. There is a doubt delicately suggested here, whether they did in fact still adhere to his doctrine, or whether they had not abandoned it in part for the opposite.

Unless ye have believed in vain. You will be saved by it, if you adhere to it, unless it shall turn out that it was vain to believe, and that the doctrine was false. That it was not false, he proceeds to demonstrate. Unless all your trials, discouragements, and hopes were to no purpose, and all have been the result of imposture; and unless all your profession is false and hollow, you will be saved by this great doctrine which I first preached to you.

(d) "if ye" Heb 3:6 (1) "keep" "hold fast" (2) "what I preached" "by what speech"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 By which also ye are saved - That is, ye are now in a salvable state; and are saved from your Gentilism, and from your former sins. If ye keep in memory - Your future salvation, or being brought finally to glory, will now depend on your faithfulness to the grace that ye have received.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Chapter Outline The apostle proves the resurrection of Christ from the dead. (1-11) Those answered who deny the resurrection of the body. (12-19) The resurrection of believers to eternal life. (20-34) Objections against it answered. (35-50) The mystery of the change that will be made on those living at Christ's second coming. (51-54) The believer's triumph over death and the grave, An exhortation to diligence…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 →

1 Corinthians 15:2 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.

δι᾽di᾽throughG1223
οὗhouwhichG3739
καὶkaialsoG2532
σῴζεσθε,sōzestheyou are being saved,G4982
τίνιtinito theG5101
λόγῳlogōwordG3056
εὐηγγελισάμηνeuēngelisamēnI evangelisedG2097
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
εἰeiifG1487
κατέχετε,katecheteyou hold fast,G2722
ἐκτὸςektosunlessG1622
εἰeionlyG1487
μὴmēexceptG3361
εἰκῇeikēain vainG1500
ἐπιστεύσατε.episteusateyou have believed.G4100

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 15:2

  • Hebrews 3:6

    But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

  • Hebrews 2:1

    Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

  • Hebrews 3:14

    For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

  • 2 Timothy 1:9

    Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

  • 1 Corinthians 1:18

    For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

  • Colossians 1:23

    If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

  • Ephesians 2:8

    For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

  • John 8:31-32

    Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

  • Hebrews 10:23

    Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

  • James 2:26

    For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

  • James 2:14

    What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

  • Luke 8:13

    They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ye are.
1:18,21; Ac 2:47; *Gr:
Ro 1:16; 2Co 2:15; Eph 2:8; 2Ti 1:9
keep in memory. or, hold fast.
11,12; Pr 3:1; 4:13; 6:20-23; 23:23; Col 1:23; 2Th 2:15; Heb 2:1
Heb 3:6,14; 4:14; 10:23
what I preached. Gr. by what speech I preached. unless.
14; Ps 106:12,13; Lu 8:13; Joh 8:31,32; Ac 8:13; 2Co 6:1; Ga 3:4
Jas 2:14,17,26

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

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 15:1

    Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

  • 1 Corinthians 15:2

    By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:3

    For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

Read all of 1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por el cual asimismo, si retenéis la palabra que os he predicado, sois salvos, si no creísteis en vano.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		par lequel aussi vous êtes sauvés, si vous tenez ferme la parole que je vous ai annoncée, à moins que vous n’ayez cru en vain.
German
Elberfelder 1871		durch welches ihr auch errettet werdet, es sei denn, daß ihr vergeblich geglaubt habt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		per quod et salvamini: qua ratione prædicaverim vobis, si tenetis, nisi frustra credidistis.