2nd Corinthians 6:1 - 2; Believers Exhorted Not To Receive God’s Grace in Vain; The Resurrection of Jesus Christ In Isaiah’s Prophesy Addressed to Israel vis a vis the Apostle Paul’s Revelation to The Body of Christ:

The 6th chapter begins: “We (Paul and those with him) then, as workers together with Him (Jesus Christ), beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:11 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

. The words “we then” that begin this verse indicate that what follows is based on what was just disclosed in previous verses, i.e., “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 - 2117 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

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Paraphrasing the teaching of 2 Corinthians 5:17 - 21; all true believers are in Christ and therefore, all are new creations. In God’s sight their sinful nature is gone (dead) and God considers them as new creations in Christ. This was accomplished by God Who reconciled believers (established a harmonious relationship between He and believers) with Him by the finished work of Jesus Christ. God gave Paul the ministry of this reconciliation, which is that God by means of the work of Jesus Christ reconciled (changed mutually) the world including its inhabitants to Himself, not reckoning/imputing their transgressions unto them. He appointed Paul and those with him to preach that God has restored a harmonious relationship between He and mankind. That is, Paul and those with him were appointed ambassadors or representatives of Christ and God implored/desired them to be in Christ’s place to teach believers to be reconciled to God. All this is based on the fact God put mankind’s sins on Christ Who was totally sinless Himself so that all believers can stand righteous before God because they are “in Christ.”

In light of these truths Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:1 beseeches the Corinthians (and all believers since) not to receive God’s Grace in vain (that is, as if God’s Grace is empty or of no effect): “We (Paul and those with him) then, as workers together with Him, (with Christ) beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:1. God “graced” believers when He reconciled them to Himself, that is, He did so totally by His own volition in spite of the fact no one deserved, nor could they earn these blessings. His motive was Love for mankind: “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And (God) hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He (God) might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:5 - 95 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

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

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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Paul continues the thought of verse one in verse three and on from there, but verse 2 is in parenthesis, and the remainder of this study will deal with verse 2. The first part of the second verse refers to the important pivotal point in the history, that being when God raised Jesus Christ from the dead after Christ totally and completely carried out God’s will. “For He saith, I (God) have heard Thee (Christ) in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured (aided/relieved/ helped) Thee: …” 2 Corinthians 6:22 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

a. First, notice that God “had heard” Him, which means that God recognized and approved of Christ’s finished work. And Christ’s finished work completed what God required to provide salvation for fallen mankind. The “accepted time” was clearly when God raised Christ from the dead. The second part of this verse indicates that “now” is the “day of salvation.” Even though the first part of this verse quotes the first part of Isaiah 49:88 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

, The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to end 2 Corinthians 6:2 differently than the words He inspired Isaiah to end Isaiah 49:8, which reads: “Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee: and I will preserve Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages,” Isaiah 49:8. Here, Isaiah was prophesying that God would someday in the future help and preserve Christ (referred to as “Thee”), that preservation being that He would raise Christ from the dead. But the last part of Isaiah’s verse refers to the fact that Christ’s resurrection, when it occurred in the future, would be as a covenant with the people (Israel) in that Christ (“that Man”) would establish (accomplish/confirm/strengthen/make sure) the earth and inherit the desolate heritages (the wasted inheritances).

When Isaiah prophesied this verse, neither he nor anyone living then understood that Israel’s promised Messiah would live 33 years among them; be rejected by them and be crucified at their (Israel’s) behest, but then He would be raised from the dead in three days. They didn’t have the “rest of the story,” which is the completed Word of God. The hope of Israel during Isaiah’s time was for a Messiah to be raised up among them Who would destroy their enemies and establish a perfectly righteous Kingdom on earth, just as God had promised their forefathers. They could not understand that Christ’s resurrection from the dead is the covenant, i.e., testament that God will someday fulfill all His promises made to the fathers of Israel. The Old Testament (OT) Scriptures spoke of a suffering One, Psalms 22:1 - 211 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

; Isaiah 53:1 - 121 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

, as well as One Who would someday rule on David’s throne, Psalms 2:1 - 121 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

; Psalms 110:11 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

-7; Daniel 7:9 - 149 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

; Zechariah 9:9 - 179 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;

13 When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.

14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

15 The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.

16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

, but Israel didn’t know these referred to the same Person. They had the prophesy of Ezekiel 37:3 - 53 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

about the dry bones taking life, i.e., the resurrection of the righteous dead, but how could they know the resurrection of their Messiah would be the covenant of their resurrection into the earthly Kingdom. We now have the completed Word of God that reveals how Israel’s future Kingdom will come about and will fulfill all OT and New Testament (NT) prophesies.

Compare what The Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah to write to Israel to what He inspired the Apostle Paul to write to the Corinthians, and us. The first part of both verses refers to the same event, that Christ would be raised from the dead, but the last part of Isaiah’s refers to the hope of Israel whereas the last part of the Apostle Paul’s refers to the Body of Christ. Following, both verses are quoted including the meaning of some of the Hebrew and Greek words in parenthesis. Remember as you read these verses, the first part of each is God talking to The Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah for the Nation of Israel: “Thus saith the LORD, in an acceptable time have I heard Thee (Christ), and in a day of salvation (deliverance from death) have I helped (protected/aided/ helped/succoured) Thee: and I will preserve (protect/maintain) Thee (Christ), and give Thee (Christ) for a covenant (compact; the same Hebrew word used to describe God’s covenant with Noah, Genesis 6:1818 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.

; Genesis 9:9 - 179 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

, the token of which was the rainbow and with Abraham, Genesis 15:1818 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

; Genesis 17:2 - 112 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

, the token of which was circumcision) of the people (Israel), to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;” Isaiah 49:8.

Paul to the Body of Christ: “For He saith, I (God) have heard Thee (Christ) in a time accepted (approved/propitious), and in the day of salvation have I succored (aided/relieved/ helped) Thee (Christ): behold, now (present/immediate/henceforth/hereafter) is the accepted (approved/ favorable) time (occasion/opportunity/season); behold, now (present/ immediate/ henceforth/ hereafter) is the day of salvation ” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

The first part of both Isaiah 49:8 and 2 Corinthians 6:2 is God the Father’s promise to His Son (Jesus Christ) that He would raise Him from the dead. The last part of Isaiah 49:8 states that Christ’s resurrection will be proof that God will fulfill all His promises to Israel, which are future. The last part 2 Corinthians 6:2 states that “now” is the accepted time, “now” is the day of salvation to be a Member of the Body of Christ. For almost 2000 years, every day of the life of every person has been the time for any Jew and Gentile to believe that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is all it takes to save them eternally in Heaven with the Lord, 1 Corinthians 15:1 - 41 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

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

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;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

. All believers have been assured of life eternal based on the fact that Christ was raised from the dead. “But for us (The Body of Christ) also, to whom it (God’s justification/righteousness) shall be imputed (reckoned), if we believe on Him (God) that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:24 - 2524 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

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To repeat, God said to Israel’s Messiah (Jesus Christ) that He had heard Him (meaning raise Him from the dead) and His resurrection was the “surety bond” so to speak, that He would fulfill all the promises He made to Israel’s Fathers, i.e., He will give them all the Promised Land; protect them from all enemies; make them the leading Nation of all Nations on earth, etc. However, when Isaiah foretold it, that “surety bond” was not negotiated until Jesus Christ was actually raised from the dead making Israel’s blessings sure to happen in the future. No one but God knows when, but it will come to fruition at the end of the seven-year Tribulation when The Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth and establishes His Kingdom. We today can thank the Lord that the Tribulation will not occur until after we, The Body of Christ, are raptured to heaven, 1 Thessalonians 5:1 - 51 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

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Paul’s message to believers for almost 2000 years is that Christ’s resurrection from the dead is the “surety bond” “that now” is the time of salvation. Every day since the mystery, Romans 16:25 - 2625 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

; Ephesians 3:1 - 91 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

, was revealed to Paul and he began preaching the Gospel of Grace, “now” has been the time to believe and be assured of eternal life. “But if the Spirit of Him (God) that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive) your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:1111 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.

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“And if Christ be not risen, then is our (Paul’s) preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 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. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” 1 Corinthians 15:14 - 2014 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

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.

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

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

18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

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

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