1 Corinthians 15:6

15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters ¹  at one time, most of whom are still alive, ²  though some have fallen asleep. ³ 

1 Corinthians 15:18

15:18 Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep ⁴  in Christ have also perished.

1 Corinthians 15:20

15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:1

Christ’s Resurrection

15:1 Now I want to make clear for you, ⁵  brothers and sisters, ⁶  the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand,

1 Corinthians 4:14-17

A Father’s Warning

4:14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children. 4:15 For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 4:16 I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. 4:17 For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, ⁷  as I teach them everywhere in every church.

[15:6]  ¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.

[15:6]  ² tn Grk “most of whom remain until now.”

[15:6]  ³ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for death when speaking of believers. This metaphorical usage by its very nature emphasizes the hope of resurrection: Believers will one day “wake up” out of death. Here the term refers to death, but “sleep” was used in the translation to emphasize the metaphorical, rhetorical usage of the term.

[15:18]  ⁴ tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6. This term is also used in v. 20.

[15:1]  ⁵ tn Grk “Now I make known to you.”

[15:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.

[4:17]  ⁷ tc ‡ Several important mss read ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) after Χριστῷ (Cristw, “Christ”) in v. 17 (so Ì⁴⁶ א C D¹ 33 1739 al). Western mss have κυρίῳ ᾿Ιησοῦ (kuriw Ihsou, “Lord Jesus”; D* F G), while several significant mss, as well as the majority, have only Χριστῷ here (A B D² Ψ Ï sa). Once ᾿Ιησοῦ got into the text, it would continue to be copied. There is however no easy explanation for the word lacking in so many witnesses. Thus the shorter reading appears to be original. NA²⁷ includes ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.