I Corinthians 15:1-11  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. 3For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Questions/Reflections to Consider

1. What is one question you have after having read this passage?
2. What is one thought or observation that interests you after having read this passage?
3. What do you sense this passage might be saying to you personally after having read it?
4. What do you sense this passage might be saying to our church and leaders after having read it?

Take a moment and talk to God, pray, perhaps using this passage and thoughts as a basis for your conversation.

I Corinthians 15:1-11   Contemporary English Version (CEV)

My friends, I want you to remember the message I preached and that you believed and trusted. 2 You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don't, your faith was all for nothing.

3  I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. This part is:

Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say.  4 He was buried, and three days later he was raised to life as the Scriptures say.  5 Christ appeared to Peter, then to the twelve.  6 After this, he appeared to more than five hundred other followers.  Most of them are still alive, but some have died.  7 He also appeared to James, then to all of the apostles.  8  Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.  9  I am the least important of all the apostles. In fact, I caused so much trouble for God's church that I don't even deserve to be called an apostle. 10 But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's grace at work and not me. 11 But it doesn't matter if I preached or if they preached. All of you believed the message just the same.

Questions/Reflections to Consider

1. What is one question you have after having read this passage?
2. What is one thought or observation that interests you after having read this passage?
3. What do you sense this passage might be saying to you personally after having read it?
4. What do you sense this passage might be saying to our church and leaders after having read it?

Take a moment and talk to God, pray, perhaps using this passage and thoughts as a basis for your conversation.

I Corinthians 15:1-11 The Message (MSG)

1-2 Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time—this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which your life has been saved. (I’m assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a passing fancy, that you’re in this for good and holding fast.)

3-9 The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don’t deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God’s church right out of existence.

10-11 But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am. And I’m not about to let his grace go to waste. Haven’t I worked hard trying to do more than any of the others? Even then, my work didn’t amount to all that much. It was God giving me the work to do, God giving me the energy to do it. So whether you heard it from me or from those others, it’s all the same: We spoke God’s truth and you entrusted your lives.

Questions/Reflections to Consider

1. What is one question you have after having read this passage?
2. What is one thought or observation that interests you after having read this passage?
3. What do you sense this passage might be saying to you personally after having read it?
4. What do you sense this passage might be saying to our church and leaders after having read it?

Take a moment and talk to God, pray, perhaps using this passage and thoughts as a basis for your conversation.