1 Korintus 11:30

11:30 That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead. ¹ 

1 Korintus 15:6

15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters ²  at one time, most of whom are still alive, ³  though some have fallen asleep. ⁴ 

1 Korintus 15:18

15:18 Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep ⁵  in Christ have also perished.

1 Korintus 15:20

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

1 Korintus 15:51

15:51 Listen, ⁶  I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, ⁷  but we will all be changed –

[11:30]  ¹ tn Grk “are asleep.” The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.

[15:6]  ² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.

[15:6]  ³ tn Grk “most of whom remain until now.”

[15:6]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6. This term is also used in v. 20.

[15:51]  ⁶ tn Grk “Behold.”

[15:51]  ⁷ tc The manuscripts are grouped into four basic readings here: (1) א C 0243* 33 1739 have “we all will sleep, but we will not all be changed” (πάντες κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα); (2) Ì⁴⁶ A^c (F G) have “we will not all sleep, but we will not all be changed” (πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα); (3) D* lat Tert Ambst Spec read “we will all rise, but we will not all be changed.” (4) The wording πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα (“we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed”) is found in B D² Ψ 075 0243^c 1881 Ï sy co. How shall we interpret such data? In light of the fact that Paul and his generation did in fact die, early scribes may have felt some embarrassment over the bald statement, “We will not all sleep” (πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα). This could account for the first variant. Although the second variant could be viewed as a conflation of (1) and (4) (so TCGNT 502; G. D. Fee, First Corinthians [NICNT], 796), it could also have arisen consciously, to guard against the notion that all whom Paul was addressing should regard themselves as true believers. The third variant, prominent in the Western witnesses, may have arisen to counter those who would deny the final resurrection (so TCGNT 502). In any event, since the fourth reading has the best credentials externally and best explains the rise of the others it should be adopted as the authentic wording here.

[15:51]  tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6.