God’s Word Translation
1 Corinthians 15:16
16Certainly, if the dead don’t come back to life, then Christ hasn’t come back to life either.
1 Corinthians 15:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
- New International Version (NIV)For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.
Context of 1 Corinthians 15:16
14If Christ hasn’t come back to life, our message has no meaning and your faith also has no meaning. 15In addition, we are obviously witnesses who lied about God because we testified that he brought Christ back to life. But if it’s true that the dead don’t come back to life, then God didn’t bring Christ back to life. Certainly, if the dead don’t come back to life, then Christ hasn’t come back to life either. 17If Christ hasn’t come back to life, your faith is worthless and sin still has you in its power. 18Then those who have died as believers in Christ no longer exist.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 151 Corinthians 15:16 word by word
εἰ γὰρ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, οὐδὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16False 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For if the dead rise not - This is a repetition of what is said in 1 Corinthians 15:13. It is repeated here, 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.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 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 risen. All who believe in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-18If Christ did not rise from the dead, then the Christian faith is pointless. However, Jesus’ resurrection proves that His sacrifice completely atoned for human sins (see 15:3). Without Christ's resurrection, people remain unforgiven and under God's judgment, still guilty of their sins (see Romans 3:19; Ephesians 2:1–3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. The repetition implies the unanswerable force of the argument.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 15:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries