1 Corinthians 15:20

1 Corinthians 15:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
• New International Version (NIV)But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Context of 1 Corinthians 15:20

18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hoped only in this life [and this is all there is], then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied. But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, [and He became] the first fruits [that is, the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. 21For since [it was] by a man that death came [into the world], it is also by a Man that the resurrection of the dead has come. 22For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:20 word by word

Νυνὶ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένωνRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• nowνυνίnuni · nowG3570
• is ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• risenἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• the firstfruitsἀπαρχήaparchē · firstfruitsG536
• of themὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that sleptκοιμάωkoimaō · to sleepG2837

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 15:20

• 1 Corinthians 15:4and that He was buried, and that He was [bodily] raised on the third day according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold],
• 1 Corinthians 15:23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected with incorruptible, immortal bodies] at His coming.
• Acts 26:23that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to suffer, and that He by being the first to rise from the dead [with an incorruptible body] would proclaim light (salvation) both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
• Romans 8:11And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
• Colossians 1:18He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.
• 1 Peter 1:3Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
• Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)—

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But now is Christ risen - On the contrary, Christ is raised from the dead, and is become the first fruits of them that slept. His resurrection has been demonstrated, and our resurrection necessarily follows; as sure as the first fruits are the proof that there is a harvest, so surely the resurrection of Christ is a proof of ours. The Judaizing teacher at Corinth would feel the force of this observation much sooner than we can, who are not much acquainted…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20But now is Christ risen … - This language is the bursting forth of a full heart and of overpowering conviction. It would seem as if Paul were impatient of the slow process of argument; weary of meeting objections, and of stating the consequences of a denial of the doctrine; and longing to give utterance to “what he knew,” that Christ was risen from the dead. That was a point on which he was certain. He had seen him after he was risen; and he could no more…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-34Verses 20-34 All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever. There will be an order in the resurrection. Christ himself has been the first-fruits; at his coming, his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20In the Old Testament, people dedicated the first crop to God (see Exodus 23:19). Christ’s resurrection is the first of many resurrections of God’s people (see Colossians 1:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. now--as the case really is. and become--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. the first-fruits--the earnest or pledge, that the whole resurrection harvest will follow, so that our faith is not vain, nor our hope limited to this life. The time of writing this Epistle was probably about the Passover (1Co 5:7); the day after the Passover sabbath was that for offering the first-fruits (Le 23:10, 11), and the same was the day of Christ's resurrection: whence…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 15:20

• Body
• First Fruits
• Immortality
• Jesus Continued
• Resurrection
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Awake
• Corrupt
• Corruptible
• Die
• Differ
• Flesh
• Immortality
• Incorruption

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings