Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Corinthian church while defending the reality of bodily resurrection against their doubts. He places this declaration immediately after warning that faith in Christ limited to this life leaves believers pitiable.
The words — ἀπαρχὴ (aparchē) means "firstfruit" and denotes the initial harvest that guarantees the full harvest to follow. ἐγήγερται (egēgertai) is a perfect passive verb stating that Christ's resurrection is a completed, enduring reality.
The thread — The firstfruit motif appears in Acts 26:23, 1 Corinthians 15:23, and Revelation 1:5, all linking Christ's resurrection to a subsequent gathering of believers. These references establish a sequence where Christ's rising precedes and secures the resurrection of those who belong to Him.
Why it lands — The text asserts that Christ's resurrection is a factual event that initiates the general resurrection of the dead. Readers must accept this as the necessary foundation for any hope beyond death, rather than treating it as a metaphor for spiritual renewal.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Cross-references
- Acts 26:23 that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:23 But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.
- Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,
- 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
- Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living 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.
- 1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.