6. After that, he appeared to more than 500 believers at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died.
7. He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles.
8. Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn't born at the right time or in a normal way.
9. I am the least important of the apostles. I'm not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God's church.
10. But because of God's grace I am what I am. And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn't do the work. God's grace was with me.
11. So whether it was I or the other apostles who preached to you, that is what we preach. And that is what you believed.
12. We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead?
13. If no one rises from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14. And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn't mean anything. Your faith doesn't mean anything either.
15. More than that, we would be lying about God. We have given witness that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised.
16. If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn't mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven.
18. Those who have died believing in Christ are also lost.
19. Do we have hope in Christ only for this life? Then people should pity us more than anyone else.
20. But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise.
21. Death came because of what a man did. Rising from the dead also comes because of what a man did.
22. Because of Adam, all people die. So because of Christ, all will be made alive.
23. But here is the order of events. Christ is the first of those who rise from the dead. When he comes back, those who belong to him will be raised.
24. Then the end will come. Christ will destroy all rule, authority and power. He will hand over the kingdom to God the Father.
25. Christ must rule until he has put all his enemies under his control.