1 Corinthians 15:5–8
Paul lists witnesses: Cephas, the Twelve, more than five hundred at once, James
Study it word by word5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve;
6then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, of whom most remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
7then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
8and last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
In its context
3For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that the Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4and that he was buried, and that he has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
…
9For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.
10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Its words in the original
- ὤφθηōphthē· see
See, look; notice.
- ΚηφᾷKēphai· Cephas
Cephas: an Aramaic name meaning "rock"; in Greek, Peter.
- εἶταeita· then
Then, next.
- δώδεκαdōdeka· twelve
Twelve.
- ἔπειταepeita· then, afterward
Then, afterward.
- ἐπάνωepanō· above
Above, over.
- πεντακοσίοιςpentakosiois· five hundred
Five hundred.
- ἀδελφοῖςadelphois· brother
Brother. Also a close relative, a fellow countryman and, among believers, a brother in the faith.
- ἐφάπαξephapax· once for all
Once for all; also at one time.
- πλείονεςpleiones· much, many
Much, great; in the plural, many.
- μένουσινmenousin· remain
Stay, remain.
- ἄρτιarti· now
Now, just now, at this moment.
- ἐκοιμήθησανekoimēthēsan· sleep, fall asleep
Sleep; also die.
- ἸακώβῳIakōbōi· James
James, the Greek form of Jacob. Several men in the New Testament bear the name: James son of Zebedee and James son of Alphaeus, both among the Twelve, and James the brother of Jesus.
- ἀποστόλοιςapostolois· apostle, one sent
Apostle: "one sent", a messenger with a mission. This was the name given to the Twelve whom Jesus chose.
- ἔσχατονeschaton· last
Last.
- ὡσπερεὶhōsperei· as it were
As it were, as though.
- ἐκτρώματιektrōmati· untimely birth
Untimely birth: a child born dead or before its time.
- κἀμοίkamoi· and I, I also
And I, I too.