1 Corinthians 15:46

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
that	ἀλλ᾽ all᾽	G235	properly · conjunction
not	οὐ ou	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
first	πρῶτον prōton	G4412	firstly (in time
which	τὸ to	G3588	the (sometimes to be supplied · article — nominative singular neuter
spiritual	πνευματικὸν pneumatikon	G4152	non-carnal · adjective — nominative singular neuter
but	ἀλλὰ alla	G235	properly · conjunction
which	τὸ to	G3588	the (sometimes to be supplied · article — nominative singular neuter
natural	ψυχικόν, psuchikon	G5591	sensitive · adjective — nominative singular neuter
afterward	ἔπειτα epeita	G1899	thereafter · adverb
which	τὸ to	G3588	the (sometimes to be supplied · article — nominative singular neuter
spiritual	πνευματικόν.¶ pneumatikon	G4152	non-carnal · adjective — nominative singular neuter

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Ephesians 4:22-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Colossians 3:9-10 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 15:35-50

The apostle comes now to answer a plausible and principal objection against the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, concerning which observe the proposal of the objection: Some man will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Co1 15:35. The objection is plainly two-fold. How are they raised up? that is, "By what means? How can they be raised? What power is equal to this effect?" It was an opinion that prevailed much among the heathens, and the Sadducees seem to have been in the same sentiment, that it was not within the compass of divine power, mortales aeternitate donare, aut revocare defunctos - to make mortal men immortal, or revive and restore the dead. Su…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 15:46

afterward--Adam had a soul not necessarily mortal, as it afterwards became by sin, but "a living soul," and destined to live for ever, if he had eaten of the tree of life (Gen 3:22); still his body was but an animal-souled body, not a spiritual body, such as believers shall have; much less was he a "life-giving spirit," as Christ. His soul had the germ of the Spirit, rather than the fulness of it, such as man shall have when restored "body, soul, and spirit," by the second Adam (Th1 5:23). As the first and lower Adam came before the second and heavenly Adam, so the animal-souled body comes first, and must die before it be changed into the spiritual body (that is, that in which the Spirit pre…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 15:46

That was not first which is spiritual - The natural or animal body, described Co1 15:44, was the first; it was the body with which Adam was created. The spiritual body is the last, and is that with which the soul is to be clothed in the resurrection.

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 15:46

Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual,.... As the apostle before proves the distinction of a natural and spiritual body, and gives instances of both in the two principal men in the world, the first and the last; and points out the difference between them, the one being animated, and having life given unto it, the other animating, and giving life to others; proceeds to observe the order of these, how that one was before the other; the spiritual body, though the more perfect and most excellent, yet was not first in being: but that which is natural; Adam's animal body was before Christ's spiritual body: and afterwards that which is spiritual; yea, even Christ's animal, or natural bod…

The Church Fathers

This figure of corporeal healing sang of a spiritual healing, according to the rule by which things carnal are always antecedent as figurative of things spiritual.
— Tertullian, On Baptism

Accordingly the apostle goes on to say: "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual," as in the case of the two Adams.
— Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh

The spiritual body is understood as a body so subject to spirit that it may be suited to its celestial habitation, all earthly weakness and corruption and being changed and converted into celestial purity and stability.
— Augustine of Hippo, On Faith and the Creed 6.13

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Adam — Red, a Babylonian word, the generic name for man, having the same meaning in the Hebrew and the Assyrian languages. It was the name given to the first man, whose creation, fall, and subsequent…
Immortality — Perpetuity of existence. The doctrine of immortality is taught in the Old Testament. It is plainly implied in the writings of Moses (Gen. 5:22, 24; 25:8; 37:35; 47:9; 49:29, comp. Heb. 11:13-16; Ex.…
Body · Resurrection of — Resurrection of
Immortality · 2:11; — 2:11;
Resurrection · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Resurrection, The · Is not contrary to reason — Is not contrary to reason

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 Corinthians 15:46

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 15:35-50

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 15:46

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 15:46

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 15:46

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Corinthians 15:46

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 15:35-50

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 15:46

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 15:46

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 15:46

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 Corinthians 15:35-50

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 15:45-49