Now if Christ be preached, that he arose again from the dead, how do some among you say, that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen again.14 And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we have given testimony against God, that he hath raised up Christ; whom he hath not raised up, if the dead rise not again.16 For if the dead rise not again, neither is Christ risen again.17 And if Christ be not risen again, your faith is vain, for you are yet in your sins.18 Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep:
Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a future resurrection, of which He has rendered the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits by raising Him from the dead. Let us contemplate, beloved, the resurrection which is at all times taking place. Day and night declare to us a resurrection. The night sinks to sleep, and the day arises; the day [again] departs, and the night comes on. Let us behold the fruits [of the earth], how the sowing of grain takes place. The sower [Luke 8:5] goes forth, and casts it into the ground, and the seed being thus scattered, though dry and naked when it fell upon the earth, is gradually dissolved. Then out of its dissolution the mighty power of the providence of the Lord raises it up again, and from one seed many arise and bring forth fruit.
The prayer of David. Hear, O Lord, my justice: attend to my supplication. Give ear unto my prayer, which proceedeth not from deceitful lips.6 I have cried to thee, for thou, O God, hast heard me: O incline thy ear unto me, and hear my words.7 Shew forth thy wonderful mercies; thou who savest them that trust in thee.8 From them that resist thy right hand keep me, as the apple of thy eye. Protect me under the shadow of thy wings.15 But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.
He teaches us that even if we are virtuous, we should trust not in ourselves but in God, and that we should pray to him that like the pupil of the eye he protect the mind—our soul's eye—from evil of the opposing powers.
The soul of each of the righteous—clearly of those who pull sinners from impiety to piety—is as a sharpened sword against the spirits of evil. This sword, O our Lord, which you sharpened against your enemies, save from the enemies of your hand.
And it came to pass afterwards, that he travelled through the cities and towns, preaching and evangelizing the kingdom of God; and the twelve with him:2 And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities; Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth,3 And Joanna the wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who ministered unto him of their substance.
For He who descends from heaven to earth, brings tidings to them that dwell on earth of a heavenly kingdom. But who ought to preach the kingdom of heaven? Many prophets came, yet preached not the kingdom of heaven, for how could they pretend to speak of things which they perceived not?
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)