1 Corinthians 15:5-11
The risen Christ appeared to many witnesses, confirming the truth of the gospel.
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
8 and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Whether then it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.
The risen Christ appeared to many witnesses, confirming the truth of the gospel.
Paul reinforces the credibility of the resurrection by recounting multiple eyewitness appearances of the risen Christ and reflecting on his own calling as a witness of that grace.
This passage follows Paul's concise statement of the gospel in 15:1–4 and serves to reinforce the historical reality of Christ's resurrection. Paul appeals to eyewitness testimony, an important element in establishing truth within the early church. By listing multiple appearances of the risen Christ, Paul shows that the resurrection was not a private spiritual experience but a publicly witnessed event. The testimony also connects the Corinthian believers to the broader apostolic witness shared across the early Christian movement.
The early Christian proclamation relied heavily on eyewitness testimony to the resurrection of Jesus. In the ancient world, multiple witnesses strengthened the credibility of an event. Paul's listing of appearances demonstrates that the resurrection was widely attested within the early Christian community.
Christ Is Risen, the Dead Will Be Raised, and Death Will Be Destroyed
Because Christ has been bodily raised from the dead as the firstfruits of his people, believers will also be raised, death itself will be defeated, and therefore Christian faith, holiness, suffering, and labor are meaningful and steadfast in the Lord.