A reading - from the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters: I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and in which you | stand | firm.

You are being saved by it at this very moment if you hold fast to it as I preached it to you. Otherwise you have believed | in | vain.

I handed on to you first of all what I myself received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the | Scrip|tures,

That he was buried and, in accordance with the Scriptures, rose on the third day; that he was seen by Cephas (Se-fas), then by | the | Twelve.

After that he was seen by five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have fallen | a|sleep.

Next he was seen by James; then by all the apostles. Last of all he was seen by me, as one born out of the nor|mal | course.

I am the least of the apostles; in fact, because I persecuted the church of God, I do not even deserve | the | name.

But by God’s favor I am what I am. This favor of his to me has not proved | fruit|less.

Indeed, I have worked harder than all the others, not on my own but through the favor | of | God.

In any case, whether it be I or they, this is what we preach and this is what - you - believed.