³² When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.”

Resurrection Essential to the Faith

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,^(A) how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”?^{(B) 13} But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without foundation, and so is your faith.^{[a] 15} In addition, we are found to be false witnesses^(C) about God, because we have testified^(D) about God that He raised up Christ—whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Now concerning the coming^(A) of our Lord^(B) Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him: We ask you, brothers, ² not to be easily upset in mind or troubled, either by a spirit^(C) or by a message or by a letter as if from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord^[a](D) has come.^(E)