1 Corinthians 15:20
New International Version
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

New Living Translation
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

English Standard Version
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Berean Standard Bible
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Berean Literal Bible
But now Christ has been raised out from the dead, the firstfruit of those having fallen asleep.

King James Bible
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

New King James Version
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

New American Standard Bible
But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

NASB 1995
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

NASB 1977
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

Legacy Standard Bible
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Amplified Bible
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].

Christian Standard Bible
But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

American Standard Version
But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.

Contemporary English Version
But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life.

English Revised Version
But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But now Christ has come back from the dead. He is the very first person of those who have died to come back to life.

Good News Translation
But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised.

International Standard Version
But at this moment the Messiah stands risen from the dead, the first one offered in the harvest of those who have died.

Majority Standard Bible
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

NET Bible
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

New Heart English Bible
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

Webster's Bible Translation
But now is Christ raised from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.

Weymouth New Testament
But, in reality, Christ *has* risen from among the dead, being the first to do so of those who are asleep.

World English Bible
But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruit of those who are asleep.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And now, Christ has risen out of the dead—He became the first-fruits of those sleeping,

Berean Literal Bible
But now Christ has been raised out from the dead, the firstfruit of those having fallen asleep.

Young's Literal Translation
And now, Christ hath risen out of the dead -- the first-fruits of those sleeping he became,

Smith's Literal Translation
And now Was Christ raised from the dead, he was the first fruits of those having died.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep :

Catholic Public Domain Version
But now Christ has risen again from the dead, as the first-fruits of those who sleep.

New American Bible
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

New Revised Standard Version
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But now we know Christ is risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of those who have died.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But now The Messiah is risen from among the dead and is the first fruits of those who sleep.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But now, Christ has risen from the dead, the first-fruits of those who slept.

Godbey New Testament
But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruit of them that slept.

Haweis New Testament
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruit of those who have fallen asleep.

Mace New Testament
But Christ is actually risen, as previous to those who were dead.

Weymouth New Testament
But, in reality, Christ *has* risen from among the dead, being the first to do so of those who are asleep.

Worrell New Testament
But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the First fruit of those who have fallen asleep.

Worsley New Testament
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and is become the first-fruits of them that slept:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Order of Resurrection
19If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.…

Cross References
Romans 6:9
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.

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.

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.”

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,

John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.

1 Thessalonians 4:14
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

2 Timothy 1:10
And now He has revealed this grace through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the gospel,

Philippians 3:21
who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

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.

John 5:28-29
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice / and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Matthew 28:6
He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.

Luke 24:5-6
As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? / He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee:

Acts 2:24
But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.

Hebrews 2:14-15
Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, / and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Isaiah 26:19
Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.


Treasury of Scripture

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

now.

1 Corinthians 15:4-8
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: …

the first-fruits.

1 Corinthians 15:23
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Acts 26:23
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Romans 8:11
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Jump to Previous
Asleep Christ Dead Fact Fallen First Firstfruits First-Fruits Fruits Indeed Raised Reality Risen Sleeping Slept
Jump to Next
Asleep Christ Dead Fact Fallen First Firstfruits First-Fruits Fruits Indeed Raised Reality Risen Sleeping Slept
1 Corinthians 15
1. By Christ's resurrection,
12. he proves the necessity of our resurrection,
16. against all such as deny the resurrection of the body.
21. The fruit,
35. and the manner thereof;
51. and of the resurrection of those who shall be found alive at the last day.














But Christ
The phrase "But Christ" serves as a pivotal transition in Paul's argument, contrasting the previous discussion of the dire consequences if Christ had not been raised. The Greek word for "Christ" is "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "Anointed One," signifying Jesus' divine mission and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. This title affirms Jesus as the Messiah, the one chosen by God to bring salvation to humanity. In a historical context, this declaration would have been a profound assertion of faith for early Christians, distinguishing their belief from both Jewish and pagan traditions.

has indeed been raised
The phrase "has indeed been raised" is a powerful affirmation of the resurrection, using the perfect tense in Greek ("ἐγήγερται" - egegertai), which indicates a completed action with ongoing effects. This emphasizes the permanence and enduring significance of Christ's resurrection. Historically, the resurrection was a cornerstone of early Christian preaching, as evidenced by archaeological findings of early Christian symbols like the fish and the anchor, which often alluded to resurrection hope. The resurrection is not merely a past event but a present reality that continues to impact believers' lives.

from the dead
"From the dead" underscores the miraculous nature of the resurrection. The Greek term "νεκρῶν" (nekron) refers to those who are physically dead, highlighting the power of God to overcome death itself. In the Jewish context, resurrection was a concept associated with the end times, as seen in Daniel 12:2. Paul's assertion that Christ has been raised from the dead is a declaration of victory over death, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, offering hope and assurance of eternal life to believers.

the firstfruits
The term "firstfruits" (Greek: "ἀπαρχή" - aparche) is rich with Old Testament significance, referring to the first portion of the harvest offered to God, symbolizing the consecration of the entire harvest (Leviticus 23:10). By calling Christ the "firstfruits," Paul indicates that Jesus' resurrection is the first of many, a guarantee of the future resurrection of all believers. This imagery would have been particularly meaningful to a Jewish audience familiar with the agricultural festivals and their spiritual implications.

of those who have fallen asleep
The phrase "of those who have fallen asleep" uses a euphemism for death, common in both Jewish and early Christian literature. The Greek word "κεκοιμημένων" (kekoimemenon) suggests a temporary state, implying that death is not the end for believers. This reflects the Christian hope in the resurrection, as sleep is a state from which one awakens. Historically, this concept provided comfort and hope to early Christians facing persecution and martyrdom, reinforcing the belief in eternal life and the ultimate triumph over death.

(20) But now . . .--From the hopeless and ghastly conclusion in which the hypothetical propositions of the previous verse would logically land us, the Apostle turns, with the consciousness of truth, to the hopeful faith to which a belief in the resurrection leads. It cannot be so. Now is Christ risen from the dead. And that is no isolated fact. As the firstfruits were typical of the whole harvest (Leviticus 23:10-11), so is Christ. He rose, not to the exclusion but to the inclusion of all Humanity. If St. Paul wrote this Epistle about the time of Passover (see Introduction, and 1Corinthians 5:6; 1Corinthians 16:8), the fact that the Paschal Sabbath was immediately followed by the day of offering of firstfruits may have suggested this thought.

Verses 20-28. - Results to be deduced from the fact of Christ's resurrection. Verse 20. - But now. Since the supposition that Christ has not risen involves so many suppositions which you will rightly reject as absurd, we may assume the eternal fact that Christ has been raised. And become the firstfruits of them that slept. As the wave sheaf (Leviticus 23:10), which was the firstfruits of the harvest, is also a pledge of the harvest, so Christ is the firstfruits and pledge of the resurrection of all mankind.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

Christ
Χριστὸς (Christos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

{has} indeed
Νυνὶ (Nyni)
Adverb
Strong's 3570: A prolonged form of nun for emphasis; just now.

been raised
ἐγήγερται (egēgertai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1453: (a) I wake, arouse, (b) I raise up. Probably akin to the base of agora; to waken, i.e. Rouse.

from
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

[the] dead,
νεκρῶν (nekrōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3498: (a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. From an apparently primary nekus; dead.

[the] firstfruits
ἀπαρχὴ (aparchē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 536: From a compound of apo and archomai; a beginning of sacrifice, i.e. The first-fruit.

of those who
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

have fallen asleep.
κεκοιμημένων (kekoimēmenōn)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2837: From keimai; to put to sleep, i.e. to slumber; figuratively, to decease.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ has been raised (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
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