TRV
- English
- King James KJV
- Complete Jewish CJB
- World English WEBM
- Berean Standard BSB
- American Standard ASV
- Geneva GNV
- Young's Literal YLT
- Douay-Rheims DRC
- International
- Shqip ALB
- العربية SVD
- বাংলা BN-IRV
- မြန်မာ Judson
- 简体文 CUV-S
- 繁體中文 CUV-T
- Čeština BKR
- Nederlands STVE
- Français LSG
- Deutsch SCH
- Ελληνικά Vamvas
- ગુજરાતી GU-IRV
- Hausa HCB
- עברית Hebrew
- हिन्दी HCV
- Magyar KAROLI
- Bahasa Indonesia INDO-TB
- Italiano Diodati
- 日本語 Kougo
- 한국어 Korean
- മലയാളം MAL
- मराठी MRCV
- Norsk DNB
- فارسی OPV
- Polski BG
- Português Almeida
- Română Cornilescu
- Русский Synodal
- Español RVG
- Kiswahili Neno
- Svenska SV1917
- Tagalog TAG-ADB
- தமிழ் TCV
- తెలుగు TSA
- ภาษาไทย THAI-KJV
- Українська Ohienko
- Tiếng Việt CADMAN
- Yorùbá YCB
See on the biblical-era map
Study this verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 Corinthians 15:12–19.
Having confirmed the truth of our Saviour's resurrection, the apostle goes on to refute those among the Corinthians who said there would be none: If Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? Co1 15:12. It seems from this passage, and the course of the argument, there were some among the Corinthians who thought the resurrection an impossibility. This was a common sentiment among the heathens. But against this the apostle produces an incontestable fact, namely, the resurrection of Christ; and he goes on to argue against them from the absurdities that must follow from their principle. As,
I.If there be (can be) no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen (Co1 15:13); and again, "If the dead rise not, cannot be raised or recovered to life, then is Christ not raised, Co1 15:16. And yet it was foretold in ancient prophecies that he should rise; and it has been proved by multitudes of eye-witnesses that he had risen. And will you say, will any among you dare to say, that is not, cannot be, which God long ago said should be, and which is now undoubted matter of fact?"
II.It would follow hereupon that the preaching and faith of the gospel would be vain:
If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith vain, Co1 15:14. This supposition admitted, would destroy the principal evidence of Christianity; and so, 1. Make preaching vain. "We apostles should be found false witnesses of God; we pretend to be God's witnesses for truth, and to work miracles by his power in confirmation of it, and are all the while deceivers, liars for God, if in his name, and by power received from him, we go forth, and publish and assert a thing false in fact, and impossible to be true. And does not this make us the vainest men in the world, and our office and ministry the vainest and most useless thing in the world? What end could we propose to ourselves in undertaking this hard and hazardous service, if we knew our religion stood on no better foundation, nay, if we were not well assured of the contrary? What should we preach for? Would not our labour be wholly in vain? We can have no very favourable expectations in this life; and we could have none beyond it. If Christ be not raised, the gospel is a jest; it is chaff and emptiness." 2. This supposition would make the faith of Christians vain, as well as the labours of ministers: If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins (Co1 15:17), yet under the guilt and condemnation of sin, because it is through his death and sacrifice for sin alone that forgiveness is to be had. We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, Eph 1:7. No remission of sins is to be had but through the shedding of his blood. And had his blood been shed, and his life taken away, without ever being restored, what evidence could we have had that through him we should have justification and eternal life? Had he remained under the power of death, how could he have delivered us from its power? And how vain a thing is faith in him, upon this supposition! He must rise for our justification who was delivered for our sins, or in vain we look for any such benefit by him. There had been no justification nor salvation if Christ had not risen. And must not faith in Christ be vain, and of no signification, if he be still among the dead?
III.Another absurdity following from this supposition is that those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
if there be no resurrection, they cannot rise, and therefore are lost, even those who have died in the Christian faith, and for it. It is plain from this that those among the Corinthians who denied the resurrection meant thereby a state of future retribution, and not merely the revival of the flesh; they took death to be the destruction and extinction of the man, and not merely of the bodily life; for otherwise the apostle could not infer the utter loss of those who slept in Jesus, from the supposition that they would never rise more or that they had no hopes in Christ after life; for they might have hope of happiness for their minds if these survived their bodies, and this would prevent the limiting of their hopes in Christ to this life only. "Upon supposition there is no resurrection in your sense, no after-state and life, then dead Christians are quite lost. How vain a thing were our faith and religion upon this supposition!" And this,
IV.Would infer that Christ's ministers and servants were of all men most miserable, as having hope in him in this life only (Co1 15:19), which is another absurdity that would follow from asserting no resurrection. Their condition who hope in Christ would be worse than that of other men. Who hope in Christ. Note, All who believe in Christ have hope in him; all who believe in him as a Redeemer hope for redemption and salvation by him; but if there be no resurrection, or state of future recompence (which was intended by those who denied the resurrection at Corinth), their hope in him must be limited to this life: and, if all their hopes in Christ lie within the compass of this life, they are in a much worse condition than the rest of mankind, especially at that time, and under those circumstances, in which the apostles wrote; for then they had no countenance nor protection from the rulers of the world, but were hated and persecuted by all men. Preachers and private Christians therefore had a hard lot if in this life only they had hope in Christ. Better be any thing than a Christian upon these terms; for in this world they are hated, and hunted, and abused, stripped of all worldly comforts and exposed to all manner of sufferings: they fare much harder than other men in this life, and yet have no further nor better hopes. And is it not absurd for one who believes in Christ to admit a principle that involves so absurd an inference? Can that man have faith in Christ who can believe concerning him that he will leave his faithful servants, whether ministers or others, in a worse state than his enemies? Note, It were a gross absurdity in a Christian to admit the supposition of no resurrection or future state. It would leave no hope beyond this world, and would frequently make his condition the worst in the world. Indeed, the Christian is by his religion crucified to this world, and taught to live upon the hope of another. Carnal pleasures are insipid to him in a great degree; and spiritual and heavenly pleasures are those which he affects and pants after. How sad is his case indeed, if he must be dead to worldly pleasures and yet never hope for any better!
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
6 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
What archangel's voice, (I wonder), what trump of God is now heard, except it be, forsooth, in the entertainments of the heretics? For, allowing that the word of the gospel may be called "the trump of God," since it was still calling men, yet they must at that time either be dead as to the body, that they may be able to rise again; and then how are they alive? Or else caught up into the clouds; and how then are they here? "Most miserable," no doubt, as the apostle declared them, are they "who in this life only" shall be found to have hope: they will have to be excluded while they are with premature haste seizing that which is promised after this life; erring concerning the truth, no less than Phygellus and Hermogenes.
For if our souls are mortal, if virtue is about to have no existence after the dissolution of the body, why do we avoid the goods assigned to us, as though we were ungrateful or unworthy of enjoying the divine gifts? For, that we may enjoy these blessings, we must live in wickedness and impiety, because virtue, that is, justice, is followed by poverty. Therefore he is not of sound mind, who, without having any greater hope set before him, prefers labours, and tortures, and miseries, to those goods which others enjoy in life. But if virtue is to be taken up, as is most rightly said by these, because it is evident that man is born to it, it ought to contain some greater hope, which may apply a great and illustrious solace for the ills and labours which it is the part of virtue to endure.
It is clear that we hope in Christ both for this life and for the next one. Christ does not abandon his servants but gives them grace, and in the future they will dwell in eternal glory.
Paul says this, not because to hope in Christ is miserable but because Christ has prepared another life for those who hope in him. For this life is liable to sin. The life above is reserved for our reward.
"If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable."
What sayest thou, O Paul? How "in this life only have we hope," if our bodies be not raised, the soul abiding and being immortal? Because even if the soul abide, even if it be infinitely immortal, as indeed it is, without the flesh it shall not receive those hidden good things, as neither truly shall it be punished. For all things shall be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ, "that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Therefore he saith, "if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable." For if the body rise not again, the soul abides uncrowned without that blessedness which is in heaven. And if this be so, we shall enjoy nothing then at all: and if nothing then, in the present life is our recompense. "What then in this respect can be more wretched than we?" saith he.
But these things he said, as well to confirm them in the doctrine of the resurrection of the body, as to persuade them concerning that immortal life, in order that they might not suppose that all our concerns end with the present world. For having sufficiently established what he purposed by the former arguments, and having said, "if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised; but if Christ were not raised, we have perished, and we are yet in our sins;" again he also subjoins this, thoroughly demolishing their arrogance. For so when he intends to introduce any of the necessary doctrines, he first shakes thoroughly their hardness of heart by fear: which accordingly he did here, having both above scattered those seeds, and made them anxious, as those who had fallen from all: and now again after another manner, and so as they should most severely feel it, doing this same thing and saying, "'we are of all men most pitiable,' if after so great conflicts and deaths and those innumerable evils, we are to fall from so great blessings, and our happiness is limited by the present life." For in fact all depends on the resurrection. So that even hence it is evident that his discourse was not of a resurrection from sins, but of bodies, and of the life present and to come.
Therefore Christ is not to be hoped in for this life only, in which the bad can do more than the good, in which those who are more evil are happier, and those who lead a more criminal life live more prosperously.
Continue studying 1 Corinthians 15:19 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
The Apostle Paul's declaration in 1 Corinthians 15:19 serves as a powerful rhetorical climax within his extensive argument for the bodily resurrection of Christ and believers. He asserts that if Christian hope were confined solely to the present earthly existence, without the assurance of a future resurrection, then followers of Christ, who often endure significant suffering and sacrifice for their faith, would be the most pitiable of all people, having invested their lives in a delusion. This verse underscores the absolute necessity of the resurrection as the foundational truth upon which all Christian faith, suffering, and hope are built.
Context
Literary Context
1 Corinthians chapter 15 is Paul's most comprehensive and systematic defense of the resurrection of the dead. Leading up to verse 19, Paul establishes the historical reality of Christ's resurrection, citing numerous eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:1-11). He then confronts the Corinthian believers who were denying or questioning the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12). Paul employs a reductio ad absurdum argument, demonstrating the catastrophic logical consequences if Christ had not been raised: preaching would be useless, faith would be futile, witnesses would be false, and those who "fell asleep in Christ" would have perished (1 Corinthians 15:13-18). Verse 19 climaxes this line of reasoning, presenting the ultimate, pitiable state of believers if their hope were limited to this life.
Historical & Cultural Context
The city of Corinth was a vibrant, cosmopolitan hub influenced by various philosophical schools, including Epicureanism and Stoicism, which often held differing views on the afterlife. Many Hellenistic thinkers found the concept of a bodily resurrection, as opposed to the immortality of the soul, to be absurd or undesirable. The Corinthians, living in a culture that valued present pleasure and philosophical sophistication, likely struggled with the idea of a physical resurrection. Furthermore, early Christians in Corinth, like elsewhere, faced social ostracism, persecution, and material hardship for their faith. Paul's argument directly addresses their context, emphasizing that their suffering and self-denial would be utterly meaningless if there were no future bodily resurrection and eternal reward.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within 1 Corinthians and Pauline theology. Firstly, it underscores The Centrality of the Resurrection to Christian faith; without it, the entire gospel message collapses. Secondly, it highlights the nature of Christian Hope, which is not merely for earthly blessings but fundamentally anchored in an eternal future, transcending the limitations and sufferings of "this life only." This eternal perspective is crucial for understanding Paul's exhortations to steadfastness and perseverance throughout the letter. Thirdly, the theme of Suffering and Reward is prominent; Paul implies that the sacrifices made by believers for Christ's sake are only rational and purposeful if a future, glorious resurrection awaits them, as opposed to the futility implied by a purely temporal hope, which would make them "most miserable." This contrasts sharply with the "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die" mentality Paul references in 1 Corinthians 15:32.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from elpis (hope), this verb signifies to "expect or confide." In the context of Christian faith, it is not a mere wishful thinking but a confident expectation and trust in God's promises, particularly concerning future salvation, resurrection, and eternal life. Paul emphasizes that this confident expectation, if limited to earthly existence, is tragically misplaced.
This term refers to "life" in its literal sense, encompassing biological and temporal existence. When qualified by "this life only," it points to the present, mortal, earthly existence, in contrast to the eternal, resurrected life that Christians anticipate. The verse posits a stark dilemma: if Christian hope is confined to this finite, temporal sphere, it is rendered meaningless.
From eleos (pity, mercy), this adjective describes someone who is "pitiable" or "wretched." Paul uses this strong term to convey a state of profound misfortune, deserving of compassion. If the resurrection is not real, then Christians, who often forgo earthly pleasures and endure hardship for their faith, would be foolishly wasting their lives on a delusion, thereby becoming the most pitiable of all people.
Verse Breakdown
"If in this life only we have hope in Christ"
This opening clause establishes a conditional premise, setting up a hypothetical scenario. The phrase "in this life only" is crucial, emphasizing the temporal limitation of hope. "Hope in Christ" signifies that the object of their confident expectation and trust is Jesus Christ, specifically his work of salvation and the promise of future resurrection and eternal life that flows from it.
"we are of all men most miserable"
This is the devastating logical conclusion if the preceding condition holds true. Paul argues that if Christian hope is confined to the present earthly existence, with no future resurrection, then believers are in the most pitiable, wretched, and unfortunate state imaginable. Their sacrifices, endurance of suffering, and denial of worldly pleasures would be utterly pointless, based on a false premise, making them deserving of the greatest pity among all humanity.
Literary Devices
Paul employs several powerful literary devices in 1 Corinthians 15:19. The primary device is a Hypothetical Statement presented as a Conditional Clause ("If...then"). This structure allows Paul to explore the dire consequences of denying the resurrection, not as an actual belief he holds, but as a logical extension of his opponents' flawed premise. He uses Hyperbole with the phrase "most miserable," an intentional overstatement to vividly impress upon his readers the profound futility and despair that would characterize Christian existence without the resurrection. This exaggerated language serves to underscore the absolute necessity of Christ's triumph over death. Furthermore, the verse functions as part of a larger Rhetorical Argument, specifically a reductio ad absurdum, where Paul reduces the opposing viewpoint to an absurd and unacceptable conclusion, thereby affirming the truth of the resurrection by demonstrating the impossibility of its alternative.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This foundational verse profoundly shapes Christian theology by asserting that the resurrection is not merely an optional doctrine but the indispensable cornerstone of Christian hope and purpose. It clarifies that true Christian hope transcends temporal existence, anchoring itself in the eternal reality of God's redemptive plan. Without the resurrection, the Christian narrative of salvation, victory over sin and death, and future glory collapses, rendering all faith and suffering meaningless. This perspective transforms how believers view present trials, understanding them as temporary hardships in light of an assured eternal inheritance. It elevates the significance of Christ's victory over death, making it the ultimate validation of His identity and mission, and the guarantee of our own future.
Reflection and Application
1 Corinthians 15:19 provides a profound lens through which believers are called to view their entire lives. It challenges us to examine the true object and scope of our hope. If our hope is primarily in earthly comforts, successes, or even the alleviation of present suffering, then we risk becoming "most miserable" when these temporal things inevitably fail or disappoint. Instead, this verse compels us to anchor our hope firmly in the resurrected Christ and the promise of future resurrection and eternal life. This eternal perspective empowers us to endure trials, make sacrifices, and persevere in faith, knowing that our labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). It transforms our understanding of suffering, not as a sign of God's absence or a futile endeavor, but as a temporary path to an incomparable, eternal glory. Living with this resurrection hope means prioritizing spiritual realities over fleeting worldly gains, boldly proclaiming the gospel, and finding deep meaning even amidst hardship, because our ultimate destination is secured by Christ's victory over death.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Paul say Christians would be "most miserable" if there is no resurrection?
Paul uses "most miserable" (Greek: eleeinoi, meaning pitiable or wretched) to emphasize the profound futility and despair that would characterize the Christian experience if their hope were confined only to this mortal existence. Unlike those who live for present pleasures, Christians often make significant sacrifices, endure persecution, deny themselves worldly comforts, and face martyrdom for their faith. If there is no resurrection, then all these sacrifices, sufferings, and self-denial would be utterly pointless, based on a delusion. They would have given up everything for nothing, making them uniquely deserving of pity compared to those who simply live for "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die" (1 Corinthians 15:32).
Is "hope in Christ" only about the afterlife, according to this verse?
While 1 Corinthians 15:19 specifically highlights the ultimate and eternal aspect of Christian hope, particularly the resurrection, "hope in Christ" is not exclusively about the afterlife. Christians certainly experience God's presence, transformation, and blessings in this present life. However, Paul's argument here is that the foundational and distinguishing hope that justifies Christian suffering and sacrifice is the future resurrection and eternal life with God. Without that ultimate hope, the present benefits, though real, would not be sufficient to validate the radical commitment and suffering often required of believers, making their entire enterprise "miserable" in its ultimate futility. The resurrection is the capstone that gives full meaning to all other aspects of Christian hope.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
1 Corinthians 15:19 finds its complete fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the very embodiment and guarantee of our resurrection hope. Paul immediately follows this stark declaration by proclaiming, "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20). Christ's literal, bodily resurrection from the dead is the historical event that transforms Christian hope from a pitiable delusion into a living, vibrant certainty. He is not merely a moral teacher or a martyr, but the victorious Lord who has conquered sin and death (Hebrews 2:14-15). Because Christ has been raised, our faith is not in vain, and we are not still in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17). His resurrection is the "firstfruits," assuring believers that their own future resurrection is as certain as His. Thus, Christ Himself is the ultimate answer to the "miserable" scenario, making our hope not confined to "this life only," but extending into a glorious eternity where death is swallowed up in victory through Him (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).