1 Corinthians 15:46 kjv
Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1 Corinthians 15:46 nkjv
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
1 Corinthians 15:46 niv
The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
1 Corinthians 15:46 esv
But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.
1 Corinthians 15:46 nlt
What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later.
1 Corinthians 15 46 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 15:44 | It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. | Resurrection Body |
| Philippians 3:21 | who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious body | Glorification of Believers Body |
| Romans 8:11 | the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, will also give life to your mortal bodies | Life-Giving Spirit |
| John 11:25 | Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live." | Jesus as Resurrection and Life |
| 1 Corinthians 15:45 | Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. | Adam as Life-giving Spirit |
| 2 Corinthians 5:1 | For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a heavenly dwelling from God, an eternal house not built by human hands. | Heavenly Dwelling |
| Genesis 1:26-27 | Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” So God created mankind in his own image. | Image of God |
| Genesis 2:7 | the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. | Breath of Life in Adam |
| Colossians 3:4 | When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. | Appearing with Christ in Glory |
| Romans 6:4-5 | We were therefore 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. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. | Union with Christ in Resurrection |
| John 12:24 | Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear much fruit. | Seed dying to produce fruit |
| Matthew 13:43 | Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. | Righteous shining like the sun |
| Revelation 22:4 | They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. | Name on Foreheads |
| 1 John 3:2 | Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. | Be like Christ |
| 1 Corinthians 15:47 | The first man was of the earth and made of dust; the second man is of heaven. | First and Second Man Comparison |
| 1 Corinthians 15:49 | Just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we also bear the image of the man from heaven. | Image of Heavenly Man |
| 1 Corinthians 15:20 | But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep. | Christ the Firstfruits |
| John 5:28-29 | “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their tombs will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” | Resurrection for judgment |
| Acts 17:31 | For he has fixed a day on which he will judge the whole world with justice by means of the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead. | God's Appointed Judge |
| 1 Corinthians 6:14 | And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. | Raised by God's Power |
1 Corinthians 15 verses
1 Corinthians 15 46 Meaning
The spiritual body precedes the physical body. This sequence emphasizes that resurrection involves a transformation, not merely a reanimation of the earthly form. The spiritual body is the true, glorified body, while the physical body is a precursor that will be replaced.
1 Corinthians 15 46 Context
This verse is part of Paul's extensive discourse on the resurrection of believers in 1 Corinthians 15. Paul is addressing questions and doubts within the Corinthian church regarding the nature of the resurrection, particularly concerning the body. He establishes that Christ's resurrection is the foundational event guaranteeing believers' resurrection. He contrasts the earthly, decaying body with the glorified, spiritual body that resurrected believers will receive. The preceding verses establish the pattern: first the natural, then the spiritual, drawing parallels from Adam and Christ. This verse further solidifies the order, asserting the precedence of the spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15 46 Word analysis
Ouk (οὐκ): A negative particle, meaning "not."
proteron (πρῶτον): Adverb meaning "first."
gar (γάρ): Conjunction, meaning "for" or "because," indicating a reason or explanation.
pneumatikon (πνευματικόν): Adjective meaning "spiritual." It refers to that which is animated and controlled by the Holy Spirit.
(a)gath’eton (not a direct Greek word, likely meant (an)astētai (ἀναστῇ) ): Imperfect tense of "to stand up" or "to rise," referring to the act of resurrection. However, based on the context and other verses, the intent is likely "the spiritual [body] rises."
Meta (μετὰ): Preposition, usually translated as "with" or "after." Here, it implies order or succession.
autou (αὐτοῦ): Possessive pronoun, "his" or "its," referring back to the spiritual body.
Ēn (ἦν): Imperfect form of "to be," meaning "was."
psychikon (ψυχικόν): Adjective meaning "natural" or "soulish," referring to the earthly, unrenewed body, animated by the life-soul (psyche).
group analysis: "Ouk proteron gar psychikon, alla pneumatikon" – The logical structure is "Not first the natural/soulish, but the spiritual." This reinforces the priority of the spiritual body over the natural body in the resurrection order. The connection "proteron" (first) is denied to the "psychikon" (natural/soulish) and affirmed for the "pneumatikon" (spiritual) body.
1 Corinthians 15 46 Bonus section
The contrast between the "soulish" (psychikon) and "spiritual" (pneumatikon) bodies addresses a fundamental aspect of transformation. The soulish body is animated by the natural life-principle of Adam, whereas the spiritual body is animated by the Holy Spirit, drawing life from the resurrected Christ. This is not a dualism of soul and spirit, but rather the difference between a body controlled by the earthly life principle and one controlled by divine, resurrected life. The physical body sown in death is not annihilated, but it must be transformed, with the spiritual body being the true, eternal expression of the resurrected believer.
1 Corinthians 15 46 Commentary
The resurrection body is fundamentally different from our earthly one. It is not merely revived but transformed into a spiritual body. This spiritual body is incorruptible and glorified, perfectly reflecting the image of the heavenly Christ, just as the natural body reflects Adam. The order matters: the spiritual precedes the physical in terms of our resurrected state. Christ, the "firstfruits," resurrected in a glorified spiritual body, thus setting the pattern for all believers who will follow.