Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:19

What does 1 Corinthians 15:19 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 15:19 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 15:19 means

If hope in Christ is limited to this life, Christians are to be pitied more than anyone. The faith that calls believers to self-denial, suffering, and service would be built on a false promise if there were no resurrection. Paul is not belittling present grace but insisting that the gospel’s horizon includes the world to come. Without that future, Christian sacrifice would be tragic folly. By laying this out, Paul seeks to awaken the Corinthians to the bleakness of their denial and to re-anchor them in the truth that the risen Christ grounds both present faith and future glory.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

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

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

if in this life we have hope in Christ only, of all men we are most to be pitied.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

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

Context

This conclusion (v. 19) caps the negative consequences outlined in vv. 13–18. It readies the dramatic turn in v. 20—“But now hath Christ been raised”—which reverses all the gloom. The context serves to show the indispensability of the resurrection: remove it, and everything collapses; affirm it, and all hope is secure. The argument thus reaches a crest of despair from which Paul will pivot to triumphant affirmation and ordered explanation (vv. 20–28).

v.18Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

v.19This passage

v.20But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • John 16:2

    They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God.

  • 1 Peter 1:21

    who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

  • Ecclesiastes 6:11

    Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

  • 2 Timothy 2:4

    No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

  • Matthew 10:21

    And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child: and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:3

    Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?

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