And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.

And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead…

In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man.

Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it.

For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”

They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.