17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and ^lyou are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope¹ in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been ^mraised from the dead, ⁿthe firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.