1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The Gospel I Preached
1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm.
2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve.
6After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
7Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
8And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.
9For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
Berean Standard Bible
Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel he preached, which they received, took their stand on, and are being saved by if they hold firmly to the message. The gospel is not a passing slogan. It is the foundation in which they stand and the truth that continues to carry them.
Paul delivered what he had received as of first importance: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and appeared. The burial confirms that Jesus truly died; the resurrection announces that death did not keep Him.
Paul lists witnesses: Cephas, the Twelve, more than five hundred brothers at one time, James, all the apostles, and finally Paul himself. Some of the five hundred were still alive when Paul wrote, so the claim was offered in a community where people could ask questions rather than as a private story no one could examine.
Paul calls himself the least of the apostles because he persecuted the church of God. He says he is not worthy to be called an apostle, but by God's grace he is what he is. Grace did not make his past irrelevant; it changed what his past would mean and gave him work to do.
Paul worked harder than the others, yet he refuses to claim the credit. He says it was not he but God's grace working through him. The gospel he preached and the Corinthians received is the same whether it came through Paul or the other apostles.
How We Know
Paul says that he delivered what he had received, then gives a compact list of named witnesses and groups who proclaimed that Jesus had been raised. The wording and structure of verses 3-7 have led scholars to examine the passage as inherited early Christian tradition; the text itself does not tell us exactly when Paul received it, so we should say early transmission rather than claim a precise date. Luke 24 and Acts 9 illuminate Paul's list by recording appearances to the disciples and to Paul himself.
- Oxford Academic, *Keys to First Corinthians: Revisiting the Major Issues*, chapter “Tradition and Redaction in 1 Corinthians 15:3–7” (https://academic.oup.com/book/8618/chapter-abstract/154585131).
Questions
1 What has the gospel done for the Corinthians?
AnswerThey received it, took their stand on it, and are being saved through it as they hold firmly to the message.
2 What did Paul deliver as of first importance?
AnswerChrist died for sins, was buried, was raised on the third day, and appeared according to the Scriptures.
3 Who witnessed the risen Christ?
AnswerCephas, the Twelve, more than five hundred believers, James, all the apostles, and Paul witnessed the risen Christ.
4 How did grace affect Paul's ministry?
AnswerGrace made Paul an apostle despite his persecution of the church and worked through his labor without allowing him to claim the credit.
What This Means for Us
Keep the center of Christian faith concrete. Jesus truly died, was buried, was raised, and was seen by witnesses; hope is not built only on a general feeling that good wins.
Let grace tell the truth about your past without making it your permanent identity. Like Paul, receive work to do while giving God the credit for the change.
Prayer
Risen Jesus, thank You for the gospel of Your death and resurrection. Hold us firmly in that truth, turn our past toward faithful service, and keep us humble about every work grace accomplishes. Amen.