Firstfruits
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16, where the local argument determines whether the emphasis is doctrinal, ethical, pastoral, or ministry-related. The companion therefore treats Firstfruits as a passage-governed word study rather than a detached lexical slogan.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀπαρχή (G536) · Open the biblical lexicon
16, where the local argument determines whether the emphasis is doctrinal, ethical, pastoral, or ministry-related. The companion therefore treats Firstfruits as a passage-governed word study rather than a detached lexical slogan.
The BSB source-word alignment has 8 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [the] firstfruits (2), firstfruits (2), [as] firstfruits (1), [the] first converts (1), first part [of the dough] (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Romans 8:23. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (3), Romans (3), James (1), Revelation (1).
G536 is represented in this Pauline-focused companion by the reviewed display gloss "firstfruits." In Paul's letters, the term appears in passages such as 1Cor. 15. 20, 2Thess. 2. 13, Rom. 11. 16, where the local argument determines whether the emphasis is doctrinal, ethical, pastoral, or ministry-related. The companion therefore treats Firstfruits as a passage-governed word study rather than a detached lexical slogan.
It gives teachers a compact way to notice the term, compare several Pauline settings, and move toward application only after the immediate context has set the boundary. The aim is disciplined clarity: the Greek term can sharpen reading, but it does not replace the grammar, flow, and theological burden of the passage itself.
G536 appears in Pauline contexts that require close attention to the passage. This companion uses three local anchors to keep the word firstfruits tied to Paul's argument and pastoral aim.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1Cor.15.20 anchors G536 in a local Pauline context where firstfruits must be read from the argument of the passage rather than from a bare word list.
But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.
2Thess.2.13 shows another Pauline setting for the same term, helping teachers compare usage without forcing every occurrence to carry the same emphasis.
If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Rom.11.16 gives a further control text so doctrine and application remain passage-governed and not driven by the gloss alone.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Initial portion offered to God, establishing claim on the whole; prototype or representative sample.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
8 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
the first-fruits
Read versethe first-fruits
Read versethe first-fruits
Read versethe first-fruits
Read versethe first-fruits
Read versethe first-fruits
Read versethe first-fruits
Read versethe first-fruits
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 2 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 9 lexical occurrence verses.
G536 helps teachers slow down where English readers may move too quickly. The word can illuminate Paul's reasoning, but only when it is held inside the sentence, paragraph, and letter. Across 1Cor.15.20, 2Thess.2.13, Rom.11.16, the pastoral value is not novelty. It is the steady discipline of asking how the word serves Paul's gospel logic, church instruction, moral warning, or ministry encouragement in context.
1Cor.15.20
Firstfruits is the reviewed display gloss for G536. In this Pauline-focused companion, local STEP TAGNT evidence shows about 7 Pauline use(s), with common forms including N-NSF 5, N-ASF 2. Treat these form signals as support for reading the passage, not as a replacement for context.
The Pauline use of G536 should be joined to larger biblical theology only through the cited passages and their own contexts. This keeps firstfruits from becoming a free-floating doctrinal shortcut.
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain