1 Corinthians 15 8

1 Corinthians 15:8 kjv

And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

1 Corinthians 15:8 nkjv

Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

1 Corinthians 15:8 niv

and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

1 Corinthians 15:8 esv

Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

1 Corinthians 15:8 nlt

Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

1 Corinthians 15 verses

1 Corinthians 15 8 Meaning

The verse signifies the Apostle Paul's personal encounter with the resurrected Christ as the final and decisive proof of his apostleship, especially in the context of Corinthian believers doubting his authority. This direct appearance of Jesus after His resurrection confirmed His identity and mission to Paul.

1 Corinthians 15 8 Context

In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Paul addresses the Corinthians' doubts about the resurrection, particularly the physical resurrection of believers. He systematically establishes the truth of Christ's resurrection, using it as the foundational element of the Gospel. Paul lists multiple eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Jesus, including appearances to the disciples, to over 500 brethren at once, to James, to all the apostles, and finally, to himself last of all. This specific verse, 1 Corinthians 15:8, is Paul's personal testimony, grounding his apostleship and the message he preaches in a direct, undeniable encounter with the resurrected Christ. The Corinthian church was dealing with divisions and various misunderstandings about Christian doctrine, including the resurrection, hence Paul's detailed and forceful argument.

1 Corinthians 15 8 Word Analysis

• ESCHATOS (ἔσχατος):
  • Meaning: Last, latest, final.
  • Significance: It highlights that Paul saw the resurrected Christ as the final appearance to any individual before His ascension or before His public return. This was not a lesser appearance, but the conclusive one for Paul's commissioning.
• MEN (μέν):
  • Meaning: Particle indicating an assertion, an adversative meaning ("but"), or the first of two contrasting clauses. Here, it emphasizes the prior list of appearances.
  • Significance: It contrasts Paul's experience with those previously listed, positioning him as the final witness.
• HUper (ὑπὲρ):
  • Meaning: Over, above, beyond, for.
  • Significance: Paul refers to the premature birth (literally "over-born") concept for himself. This metaphor conveys that his coming into the kingdom and apostleship was beyond the normal sequence, like being born out of due time, possibly due to his persecution of the church prior to his conversion.
• EKTRÖMATOS (ἐκτρώματος):
  • Meaning: Abortion, miscarriage, offspring of an abortion. It carries a sense of being unnaturally or prematurely born, not a full or proper birth.
  • Significance: Paul uses this strong, humbling, and somewhat offensive metaphor to describe his own apostleship in relation to the original twelve apostles. He felt unworthy or out of place, yet chosen and divinely appointed by Christ. This humility, despite his profound encounter, is a rhetorical device to magnify God's grace and not diminish the truth of his apostleship. It also powerfully asserts that his apostleship, though appearing "late" or "unusual," was a genuine, Christ-appointed reality.
• Ektroma (ἐκτρώματος) vs Ektrosis (ἔκτρωσις):
  • The noun ἔκτρωμα (ektroma) refers to the product of an abortion (the fetus), while ἔκτρωσις (ektrosis) is the act of abortion. Paul uses the noun referring to the untimely birth itself.
• KOUSMAI (κοῦσμαι):
  • Meaning: Present tense of koúō (κοῦω), which is an archaic verb meaning "to perceive" or "to be aware of." It appears as an unused root in Koine Greek but implies "perceive" or "see."
  • Significance: While 'koúsmai' is not directly found in standard Greek lexicons, the context strongly implies a verb of perception, meaning "I saw" or "I perceived." Given that 'heōraka' (ἑώρακα - I have seen) is the more common term and also fits the context, scholars often interpret this unique phrasing as a rare or personal verb choice by Paul, possibly conveying a profound, all-encompassing perception beyond mere sight. Some textual variants might reflect attempts to "correct" this unusual phrasing.

1 Corinthians 15 8 Bonus Section

Paul's use of "ektroma" (untimely born) is remarkable for its self-deprecation, highlighting his transformation from persecutor to apostle. It doesn't invalidate his apostleship; rather, it magnifies God's power to make a champion from an enemy. This phrase demonstrates his deep humility and focus on God's grace, ensuring that the authority of his message rested solely on Christ's conferral, not on his own perceived merit or conventional appointment. This also serves as a potent reminder that God can use anyone, regardless of their past, if they surrender to Him and the resurrected Christ.

1 Corinthians 15 8 Commentary

Paul declares that he saw the resurrected Jesus last among the initial witnesses. His personal encounter, described as seeing "the One untimely born," underscores his conviction and authority. This self-effacing language ("untimely born") was a rhetorical strategy, asserting that despite feeling out of sync with the original apostles, his call and message were undeniably from Christ. It was not a natural progression but a supernatural intervention. This appearance was the ultimate validation of his apostleship, which was being questioned by some in Corinth. It provided an irrefutable basis for the Gospel he preached, emphasizing grace and divine sovereignty in calling and empowering an unlikely witness.