Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:4

What does 1 Corinthians 15:4 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 15:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 15:4 means

Christ’s burial confirms the reality of His death; His being raised on the third day confirms the Father’s acceptance and power. Both happened “according to the scriptures,” meaning God’s promises anticipated not only Messiah’s suffering but His rising. The third day highlights a definite, bodily event in time, not a vague spiritual survival. Burial speaks to the finality of death; resurrection declares that finality broken. This verse ties together atonement and victory: the Savior who truly died for sins truly lives again. Without this hinge, there is no good news—only a martyr’s tomb. With it, salvation stands on firm ground.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he was put in the place of the dead; and on the third day he came back from the dead, as it says in the Writings;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Writings,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And that he was buried: and that he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and that he was buried; and that he was raised the third day, according to the scriptures;

Context

Completing the heart of the gospel, verse 4 joins burial to resurrection, preparing for the list of witnesses (vv. 5–8). Paul is constructing an unassailable chain: fulfilled Scripture, historical events, and corroborated appearances. This strengthens his later argument against those denying resurrection (vv. 12–19). The burial-resurrection pairing also answers any claim that Jesus only appeared to die; rather, He was laid in a tomb and then seen alive. The flow moves from proclamation of facts to proof through testimonies, grounding doctrine in history.

v.3For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

v.4This passage

v.5and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve;

Cross references

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

  • Luke 9:22

    saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

  • Colossians 2:12

    having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

  • Matthew 20:19

    and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: and the third day he shall be raised up.

  • Acts 26:22

    Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come;

  • 1 Corinthians 15:16

    For if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised:

  • Mark 16:2

    And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen.

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