Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 15:8
And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian church while defending the factual reality of Christ's resurrection in his epistle. He places himself at the end of a documented sequence of post-resurrection appearances to ground his gospel message in historical witness.
The words — ὤφθη (ōphthē) denotes a divine appearance, and ἐκτρώματι (ektrōmati) literally means "untimely birth" or miscarriage. Paul uses these terms to describe the sudden, unprepared nature of his own encounter with the risen Christ.
The thread — The appearance motif connects to 1 Corinthians 9:1, where Paul appeals to his own vision of Jesus as proof of his apostolic authority. It also aligns with Acts 26:16, where the risen Lord appears to Paul to appoint him as a servant and witness.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that apostolic authority rests entirely on divine initiative rather than human merit. Readers must accept that the gospel spreads through unearned encounters with the risen Christ, not through prior qualification.
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
And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?
- Acts 26:16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.
- Acts 18:9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.
- Acts 22:18 and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’
- Acts 9:17 So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 9:3 As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
- Acts 22:14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear His voice.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.