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 :

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

PARAPHRASE.

power as it will be exhibited by God in a future state, I have to remind you of the joyful offer of salvation which I first delivered to you, and which you received as effective of its purpose, and in a dependence on which you have hitherto professedly continued; by means also of which you are in a condition to obtain eternal salvation, if you keep in mind in what terms I announced to you the joyful offer, and act accordingly; unless, indeed, you * have rashly trusted in a fable. For I delivered to you, as the foundation of the Gospel scheme of salvation, what I also received as such, viz. that Christ died for our sins, according to the prophetic declaration of the Mosaic scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day after, according to the prophetic declaration of the * Mosaic scriptures; and that he appeared after his resurrection, separately to Peter, then, to him and the other apostles jointly; that after that, he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at the same time, of whom the greater number remain alive to this day, but some are even already

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7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with

me.

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'dead; that after that, he appeared separately to James; then to the whole assembly of the apostles at Jerusalem, who attended him 'from thence to Bethany, where he ascended; and that last of all, he appeared even to me, who, from the sudden, and violent manner in which I was converted to the belief of the gospel, and appointed a preacher of it, may be likened, in comparison with the other apostles, to an immature birth; for considering how long I had resisted the evidence of its truth, I am the least of the apostles, or rather one who is unworthy of the name of an apostle, since, formerly, through a blind zeal for Judaism, I even persecuted the church of God, established on the Gospel dispensation. But by the mercy, and spiritual power of God, I am what I am; and his mercy extended to me, and spiritual power bestowed on me have not been ineffectual, but have urged me to greater exertions, and accordingly I have since laboured in promoting the Gospel abundantly more than all the other apostles; yet not I, but the spiritual power of God residing with me, and operating

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11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

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?

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

14 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.

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through me as an instrument. But we all now alike preach the Gospel, and therefore, whether I preach or they, we all preach the above great truths of Christ's death for our sins, and his resurrection; and you have all professed your faith in them. 12 But if Christ is thus preached by us all as having been on our own certain knowledge raised from the dead, how do some who live among you say against this testimony, that there is no such thing as a re13 surrection of dead persons? But if there is no such thing as a resurrection of dead persons, then neither 14 has Christ been raised. But consider the consequence; if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is without an object, since in that case we are preaching about a dead person, and your faith as Christians is without an object, since in that case you are trusting in a dead person. And also we who have given the testimony shall be found to be false witnesses respecting God, because we have, in that case, testified against the truth of God that

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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 first fruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

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he hath raised Christ, whom he hath not raised, if, indeed, according to their conclusion, dead persons are not raised. For I repeat, if dead persons are 17 not raised, neither has Christ been raised. But consider this further consequence; if Christ has not been raised, your faith in him, as a Redeemer from the power of sin and death, is fruitless. You are, as you will admit, still under the power of sin; moreover also, they who have departed this life in faith in Christ as a Redeemer from death, have utterly perished. And therefore, the power of sin and death remaining thus unsubdued, if in respect of this life only we have hopes in Christ as a Redeemer, we Christians, inasmuch as our faith in him is thus wholly nugatory, are the most pitia20 ble of all men. (But if our testimony is entitled to credit, Christ has been raised from the dead, and is now alive in a state of immortality, and as such, has been made, according to the type of him in the wave-offering of the Jewish harvest, the first fruits from death of those who have de" parted this life. And this consistently with the

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22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

PARAPHRASE.

equity of the divine proceedings, which requires that as the ruin of mankind was occasioned by the disobedience of man, so their recovery should be effected by his obedience, which has accordingly taken place; for since by the act of man death has been produced, by the act of man also a resur22 rection of the dead. And in each case the ruin and the recovery is an immediate consequence from the originating cause; for as by the curse of death passed in the case of Adam, all men are subject to a suspension of the active exertion of the vital principle, so also, through the covenant of life made in the case of Christ, all will have the vital " principle restored to activity; but the good and bad separately, each in the class appropriate to him Christ the first fruits from death, after that, Christ's acknowledged disciples, at his appearance, in one class; then the end, when will be raised, in the other class, the residue of men, when he shall have delivered over the mediatorial kingdom to God even the Father, when the Father shall have rendered inoperative all opposing rule, and 25 all liberty, and all strength; for it appears, from

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