1 Corinthians 15:23

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

1 Corinthians 15:23, King James Version

1 Corinthians 15:23 in other translations

BSB	But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.
WEB	But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s at his coming.
ASV	But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ’s, at his coming.
YLT	and each in his proper order, a first-fruit Christ, afterwards those who are the Christ's, in his presence,
DARBY	But each in his own rank: the first-fruits, Christ; then those that are the Christ's at his coming.
BBE	But every man in his right order: Christ the first-fruits; then those who are Christ's at his coming.
Webster	But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

What does 1 Corinthians 15:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

23. But every man in his own order--rather, "rank": the Greek is not in the abstract, but concrete: image from troops, "each in his own regiment." Though all shall rise again, let not any think all shall be saved; nay, each shall have his proper place, Christ first (Col 1:18), and after Him the godly who die in Christ (1Th 4:16), in a separate band from the ungodly, and then "the end," that is, the resurrection of the rest of the dead. Christian churches, ministers, and individuals seem about to be judged first "at His coming" (Mt 25:1-30); then "all the nations" (Mt 25:31-46). Christ's own flock shall share His glory "at His coming," which is not to be confounded with "the end," or general judgment (Re 20:4-6, 11-15). The latter is not in this chapter specially discussed, but only the first resurrection, namely, that of the saints: not even the judgment of Christian hollow professors (Mt 25:1-30) at His coming, is handled, but only the glory of them "that are Christ's," who alone in the highest sense "obtain the resurrection from the dead" (Lu 14:14; 20:35, 36; Php 3:11; see on Php 3:11). The second coming of Christ is not a mere point of time, but a period beginning with the resurrection of the just at His appearing, and ending with the general judgment. The ground of the universal resurrection is the union of all mankind in nature with Christ, their representative Head, who has done away with death, by His own death in their stead: the ground of the resurrection of believers is not merely this, but their personal union with Him as their "Life" (Col 3:4), effected causatively by the Holy Spirit, and instrumentally by faith as the subjective, and by ordinances as the objective means.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 23. But every man. Every one, including Christ as well as others.

In his own order. In his proper order, rank, place, time. The word ταγμα usually relates to military order or array; to the arrangement of a cohort, or band of troops; to their being properly marshalled with the officers at the head, and every man in his proper place in the ranks. Here it means that there was a proper order to be observed in the resurrection of the dead. And the design of the apostle is, probably, to counteract the idea that the resurrection was passed already, or that there was no future resurrection to be expected. The order which is here referred to is, doubtless, mainly that of time; meaning that Christ would be first, and then that the others would follow. But it also means that Christ would be first, because it was proper that he should be first. He was first in rank, in dignity, and in honour; he was the leader of all others, and their resurrection depended on his. And as it was proper that a leader or commander should have the first place on a march, or in an enterprise involving peril or glory, so it was proper that Christ should be first in the resurrection, and that the others should follow on in due order and time.

Christ the first-fruits. Christ first in time, and the pledge that they should rise. 1Cor 15:20.

Afterward. After he has risen. Not before, because their resurrection depended on him.

They that are Christ's. They who are Christians. The apostle, though in 1Cor 15:22 he had stated the truth that all the dead would rise, yet here only mentions Christians, because to them only would the doctrine be of any consolation, and because it was to them particularly that this whole argument was directed.

At his coming. When he shall come to judge the world, and to receive his people to himself. This proves that the dead will not be raised until Christ shall reappear. He shall come for that purpose; and he shall assemble all the dead, and shall take his people to himself. See Mt 25. And this declaration fully met the opinion of those who held that the resurrection was past already. See 2Ti 2:18.

(a) "But every man" 1Thes 4:15-17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 23 But every man in his own order - The apostle mentions three orders here: 1. Christ, who rose from the dead by his own power. 2. Them that are Christ's; all his apostles, martyrs, confessors, and faithful followers. 3. Then cometh the end, when the whole mass shall be raised. Whether this order be exactly what the apostle intends, I shall not assert. Of the first, Christ's own resurrection, there can be no question. The second, the resurrection of his followers, before that of the common dead, is thought by some very reasonable. "They had here a resurrection from a death of sin to a life of righteousness, which the others had not, because they would not be saved in Christ's way. That they should have the privilege of being raised first, to behold the astonishing changes and revolutions which shall then take place, has nothing in it contrary to propriety and fitness;" but it seems contrary to 1Cor 15:52, in which all the dead are said to rise in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. "And, thirdly, that all the other mass of mankind should be raised last, just to come forward and receive their doom, is equally reasonable:" but it is apparently inconsistent with the manner in which God chooses to act; see 1Cor 15:53. Some think that by them that are Christ's at his coming, "we are to understand Christ's coming to reign on earth a thousand years with his saints, previously to the general judgment;" but I must confess I find nothing in the sacred writings distinctly enough marked to support this opinion of the millennium, or thousand years' reign; nor can I conceive any important end that can be answered by this procedure. We should be very cautious how we make a figurative expression, used in the most figurative book in the Bible, the foundation of a very important literal system that is to occupy a measure of the faith, and no small portion of the hope, of Christians. The strange conjectures formed on this very uncertain basis have not been very creditable either to reason or religion.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:20-34

All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever. There will be an order in the resurrection. Christ himself has been the…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 15:20-34 →

1 Corinthians 15:23 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἕκαστοςhekastoseachG1538

δὲdehoweverG1161

ἐνeninG1722

τῷtōtheG3588

ἰδίῳidiōownG2398

τάγματι·tagmatiorder:G5001

ἀπαρχὴaparchē[the] firstfruitG536

Χριστός,ChristosChrist,G5547

ἔπειταepeitathenG1899

οἱhoithoseG3588

τοῦtou<the>G3588

ΧριστοῦChristouof ChristG5547

ἐνenatG1722

τῇtēatheG3588

παρουσίᾳparousiacomingG3952

αὐτοῦ·autouof Him;G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 15:23

Galatians 3:29
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Isaiah 26:19
Thy 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.
1 Corinthians 15:52
In 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 Corinthians 15:20
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
For 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. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 10:7
Do 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.
1 Thessalonians 2:19
For 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?
Galatians 5:24
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
1 Corinthians 3:23
And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

every.
20; Isa 26:19; 1Th 4:15-17
they.
3:23; 2Co 10:7; Ga 3:29; 5:24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:23
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1 Corinthians 15:24
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15:23 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas cada uno en su orden: Cristo las primicias; luego los que son de Cristo, en su venida.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	mais chacun dans son propre rang: les prémices, Christ; puis ceux qui sont du Christ, à sa venue;
German Elberfelder 1871	Ein jeder aber in seiner eigenen Ordnung: der Erstling, Christus; sodann die, welche des Christus sind bei seiner Ankunft;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Unusquisque autem in suo ordine, primitiæ Christus: deinde ii qui sunt Christi, qui in adventu ejus crediderunt.