1 Corinthians 15:23 kjv
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1 Corinthians 15:23 nkjv
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.
1 Corinthians 15:23 niv
But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
1 Corinthians 15:23 esv
But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:23 nlt
But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
1 Corinthians 15 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 15:20 | Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep. | Fulfills OT firstfruits concept, guarantees resurrection. |
| Romans 8:23 | We ourselves groan inwardly as we wait for adoption, redemption of our bodies. | Echoes waiting for bodily redemption. |
| Col 1:18 | He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead. | Identifies Christ's preeminence. |
| Rev 1:5 | and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. | Repeats "firstborn from the dead". |
| Acts 26:23 | Christ suffered, and… first to proclaim in word and deed that he had to suffer and first to rise from the dead. | Confirms resurrection and proclamation. |
| John 11:25 | "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." | Identifies Christ as source of resurrection. |
| John 14:19 | Because I live, you also will live. | Connects Christ's life to believers' life. |
| Gen 3:15 | "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." | Protoevangelium, prophecy of Christ's victory over death. |
| Lev 23:10-11 | "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I give you and harvest its first-ripe grain, bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.'" | Direct OT link to firstfruits symbolism. |
| Psalm 16:10 | For you will not abandon me to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. | Messianic Psalm anticipating resurrection. |
| Hosea 6:2 | "After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his sight." | Typological reference to resurrection. |
| 1 Cor 15:45 | Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living soul"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. | Contrasts Adam's mortality with Christ's resurrection life. |
| Phil 3:10-11 | that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. | Desire to share in Christ's resurrection. |
| Rom 6:4 | We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. | Baptism as participation in Christ's death and resurrection. |
| 1 Thes 4:16 | For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. | Describes the timing of the resurrection. |
| 2 Cor 5:1 | For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a heavenly dwelling that is from God, an eternal house not built by human hands. | Encourages looking beyond earthly death. |
| John 6:40 | For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, that I myself will raise him up on the last day. | Promises resurrection on the last day. |
| Eph 2:6 | And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. | Believers are already raised in Christ spiritually. |
| 1 Peter 1:3 | Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. | Resurrection of Christ provides living hope. |
| Acts 2:24 | But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. | God's power in Christ's resurrection. |
1 Corinthians 15 verses
1 Corinthians 15 23 Meaning
Christ is the firstfruits, and at His coming, those who belong to Him will be raised.
1 Corinthians 15 23 Context
1 Corinthians 15 addresses the resurrection of believers. Some in the Corinthian church were denying a bodily resurrection. Paul argues that Christ's resurrection is the foundation of Christian hope. If Christ did not rise, their faith is futile. This verse explains that Christ's resurrection is not an isolated event but the authoritative "firstfruits" that guarantees the resurrection of all who are in Him. This principle applies to all believers, confirming the hope of a future bodily resurrection and underscoring the significance of Christ's victory over death.
1 Corinthians 15 23 Word analysis
ἀπαρχὴ (aparchē): Firstfruits. Signifies the initial part of a harvest offered to God. It represents the guarantee of the full harvest to follow. Christ is the first of the resurrection harvest.
τῶν κεκοιμημένων (tōn kekoimēmenōn): Of those who have fallen asleep. This is a common, euphemistic biblical term for death, specifically for believers. It implies a temporary state before awakening.
ἐν Χριστῷ (en Christō): In Christ. Crucial prepositional phrase indicating union with Christ. Resurrection is for those united with Him through faith. It speaks to a spiritual and redemptive connection.
γ eğer (gegar): Is, has been. This word in the perfect tense indicates a completed action with ongoing results, emphasizing the permanent reality of Christ's resurrection.
Firstfruits: Connects to agricultural practices where the first produce was presented to God as a pledge and assurance of the whole harvest. Christ's resurrection guarantees our resurrection.
Belonging to Christ: The resurrection is not universal but specific to those "in Christ," signifying believers who have faith in Him.
Christ's Resurrection as a Guarantee: It establishes the pattern and power for the resurrection of His followers.
1 Corinthians 15 23 Bonus section
The concept of "firstfruits" in the Old Testament was central to Israel's covenant relationship with God and agricultural festivals. The presentation of the barley sheaf at Passover immediately following the Sabbath (Lev 23:11) was a precise prophetic foreshadowing of Christ's resurrection occurring on the first day of the week (Sunday), after He had been in the tomb. This chronological and theological linkage confirms the meticulous planning of God for redemption and underscores that Christ's victory over death is the inaugurated promise of all future resurrections. The "sleep" of believers is temporary; the awakening in Christ is certain because the Chief Cornerstone has risen.
1 Corinthians 15 23 Commentary
This verse asserts the vital connection between Christ's resurrection and that of His followers. Christ, by rising from the dead, acts as the "firstfruits." This term, deeply rooted in Old Testament Levitical law (Leviticus 23:10-11), signifies the initial sheaf of harvest offered to God, which assured the acceptance of the entire harvest. Christ's resurrection is not just a historical event but the divine pledge and precursor to the resurrection of all who belong to Him through faith. If Christ has been raised, then those "in Christ" – united to Him by faith and the Spirit – will surely follow in a resurrected state. This solidifies the hope for a future bodily resurrection, ensuring that death does not have the final word for believers.