Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:3

What does 1 Corinthians 15:3 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 15:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 15:3 means

Paul delivers what he himself received: the gospel’s first things. Christ’s death was not tragic accident but saving purpose—“for our sins.” It fulfilled the long story of Israel’s Scriptures, which promised that God would deal with sin through a suffering, faithful servant and atoning sacrifice. By stating this as received tradition, Paul anchors Christian belief in a shared apostolic deposit, not theological novelty. The cross addresses the deepest human need—guilt before God—and explains why the resurrection matters: if Christ truly bore our sins, God’s acceptance of His sacrifice must be publicly vindicated by raising Him from the dead.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For I gave to you first of all what was handed down to me, how Christ underwent death for our sins, as it says in the Writings;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for I delivered to you first, what also I did receive, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Writings,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For I delivered to you, in the first place, what also I had received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures;

Context

Paul now gives the creedal core: death (v. 3), burial and resurrection (v. 4), and eyewitnesses (vv. 5–8). This sequence forms a concise, early Christian confession. It answers the Corinthians’ confusion by presenting what the gospel is before arguing what it implies. By binding Christ’s death to “the scriptures,” Paul shows continuity between the gospel and God’s ancient plan, which sets up the equal insistence that the resurrection, too, was “according to the scriptures.” The narrative builds steadily from Christ’s saving death to its public validation and testimony.

v.2by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.

v.3This passage

v.4and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;

Cross references

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

  • Daniel 9:24

    Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

  • Acts 3:18

    But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

  • 1 John 2:2

    and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

  • Ezekiel 3:17

    Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

  • Matthew 26:28

    for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins.

  • Hebrews 5:3

    and by reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

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