But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
Parallel translations
- WEB But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming.
- BSB But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.
- NKJV But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
- NASB But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
- NLT But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Each is raised in order: Christ first, then His people at His coming. It matters because it sets the certain sequence of resurrection hope.
Overview
Paul explains the orderly timing of resurrection. Christ as first fruits has already risen, and those who belong to Him will be raised when He returns. This assures believers that their resurrection, though future, is securely fixed to Christ's second coming.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Isa 26:19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
- Gal 3:29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
- 1 Cor 15:52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
- 1 Cor 15:20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
- 1 Th 4:15–17For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
- 2 Cor 10:7Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
- Gal 5:24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
- 1 Th 2:19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
- 1 Cor 3:23And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 15:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.