But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who 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.
- KJV But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that 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.
- 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 26:19Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.
- Gal 3:29If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.
- 1 Cor 15:52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
- 1 Cor 15:20But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep.
- 1 Th 4:15–17For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.
- 2 Cor 10:7Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also we are Christ’s.
- Gal 5:24Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
- 1 Th 2:19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?
- 1 Cor 3:23and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.