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1 Corinthians 15:20-28
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
20 (A)But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits[a] of those who have fallen asleep. 21 [b]For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,(B) 23 but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;(C) 24 then comes the end,[c] when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.(D) 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.(E) 26 [d]The last enemy(F) to be destroyed is death, 27 [e]for “he subjected everything under his feet.”(G) But when it says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it excludes the one who subjected everything to him. 28 When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will [also] be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.(H)
Practical Arguments.[f]
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- 15:20 The firstfruits: the portion of the harvest offered in thanksgiving to God implies the consecration of the entire harvest to come. Christ’s resurrection is not an end in itself; its finality lies in the whole harvest, ourselves.
- 15:21–22 Our human existence, both natural and supernatural, is corporate, involves solidarity. In Adam…in Christ: the Hebrew word ’ādām in Genesis is both a common noun for mankind and a proper noun for the first man. Paul here presents Adam as at least a literary type of Christ; the parallelism and contrast between them will be developed further in 1 Cor 15:45–49 and in Rom 5:12–21.
- 15:24–28 Paul’s perspective expands to cosmic dimensions, as he describes the climax of history, the end. His viewpoint is still christological, as in 1 Cor 15:20–23. 1 Cor 15:24, 28 describe Christ’s final relations to his enemies and his Father in language that is both royal and military; 1 Cor 15:25–28 insert a proof from scripture (Ps 110:1; 8:6) into this description. But the viewpoint is also theological, for God is the ultimate agent and end, and likewise soteriological, for we are the beneficiaries of all the action.
- 15:26 The last enemy…is death: a parenthesis that specifies the final fulfillment of the two Old Testament texts just referred to, Ps 110:1 and Ps 8:7. Death is not just one cosmic power among many, but the ultimate effect of sin in the universe (cf. 1 Cor 15:56; Rom 5:12). Christ defeats death where it prevails, in our bodies. The destruction of the last enemy is concretely the “coming to life” (1 Cor 15:22) of “those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor 15:23).
- 15:27b–28 The one who subjected everything to him: the Father is the ultimate agent in the drama, and the final end of the process, to whom the Son and everything else is ordered (24, 28). That God may be all in all: his reign is a dynamic exercise of creative power, an outpouring of life and energy through the universe, with no further resistance. This is the supremely positive meaning of “subjection”: that God may fully be God.
- 15:29–34 Paul concludes his treatment of logical inconsistencies with a listing of miscellaneous Christian practices that would be meaningless if the resurrection were not a fact.
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
King James Version
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
King James Version
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
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.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
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1 Corinthians 15:20-28
New King James Version
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
New King James Version
The Last Enemy Destroyed
20 But now (A)Christ is risen from the dead, and has become (B)the firstfruits of those who have [a]fallen asleep. 21 For (C)since by man came death, (D)by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall (E)be made alive. 23 But (F)each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers (G)the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign (H)till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 (I)The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For (J)“He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 (K)Now when all things are made subject to Him, then (L)the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
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- 1 Corinthians 15:20 Died
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
New International Version
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
New International Version
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,(A) the firstfruits(B) of those who have fallen asleep.(C) 21 For since death came through a man,(D) the resurrection of the dead(E) comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.(F) 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;(G) then, when he comes,(H) those who belong to him.(I) 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom(J) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.(K) 25 For he must reign(L) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.(M) 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.(N) 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[a](O) Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.(P) 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,(Q) so that God may be all in all.(R)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
English Standard Version
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
English Standard Version
20 But in fact (A)Christ has been raised from the dead, (B)the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as (C)by a man came death, (D)by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For (E)as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then (F)at his coming (G)those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers (H)the kingdom to God the Father after destroying (I)every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign (J)until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be (K)destroyed is death. 27 For (L)“God[a] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When (M)all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that (N)God may be all in all.
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- 1 Corinthians 15:27 Greek he
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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