First Epistle to the Corinthians

What it is

This letter was written by Paul the Apostle to the Christian community in Corinth, probably around the year 54, roughly a generation after Jesus's death. It addresses disputes within the church and includes Paul's account of the Last Supper and the appearances of the risen Jesus. The original letter does not survive, but its text is preserved in later copies, the earliest from the late 2nd or early 3rd century.

Why it matters

Because it was written so soon after Jesus's lifetime, this letter is one of the earliest surviving written sources mentioning him, older than the Gospels themselves. It shows how followers like Paul were already describing and interpreting Jesus's death and resurrection within a few decades of the events.

Look closer

• Why might a letter addressing local church problems also include such an early account of the Last Supper?
• What does it tell us that no original manuscript survives, only later copies?
• How might Paul's own purposes have shaped what he chose to include?