Bible Dictionaries
First

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

the superlative degree of pro, "before," is used (I) "of time or place," (a) as a noun, e.g., Luke 14:18; Revelation 1:17; opposite to "the last," in the neuter plural, Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26; 2 Peter 2:20; in the neuter singular, opposite to "the second," Hebrews 10:9; in 1 Corinthians 15:3 , en protois, lit., "in the first (things, or matters)" denotes "first of all;" (b) as an adjective, e.g., Mark 16:9 , used with "day" understood, lit., "the first (day) of (i.e., after) the Sabbath," in which phrase the "of" is objective, not including the Sabbath, but following it (cp. B, No. 3); in John 20:4,8; Romans 10:19 , e.g., equivalent to an English adverb; in John 1:15 , lit., "first of me," i.e., "before me" (of superiority); (II) "of rank or dignity," see CHIEF , Cp. B, Nos. 3 and 4.

the comparative degree of pro (see No. 1), "former, before," denotes "first" in Hebrews 7:27; in 4:6, RV, "before" (AV, "first"), speaking of Israel as having heard God's good tidings previously to the ministry of the Gospel; in Galatians 4:13 , "I preached ... unto you the first time" means on the former of his two previous visits.

"from above," is rendered "from the first" in Luke 1:3 , RV; it may mean "from their beginning, or source."

"firstly," is used in Acts 11:26 , "first" (some mss. have No. 4 here).

the neuter of the adjective protos, is used as an adverb, signifying "first, firstly," e.g., of time, Matthew 8:21; of order, Romans 3:2 (AV, "chiefly"); in John 7:51 , RV, "except it first hear from himself" (the AV, "before it hear him," follows the mss. which have No. 1).

a grammatically feminine form of heis, "one," is translated "first" in certain occurrences of the phrase "on the first day of the week," e.g., Luke 24:1; 1 Corinthians 16:2; cp. A, and see DAY; also in Titus 3:10 , of a "first" admonition to a heretical man. See ONE.

"a beginning," is translated "first" in Hebrews 5:12 , "of the first (principles of the oracles of God)," lit. "(the principles) of the beginning (of the oracles of God);" in Hebrews 6:1 "the first (principles) of Christ," lit., "(the account) of the beginning of Christ," i.e., the elementary teaching concerning Christ. In Acts 26:4 , where the word is preceded by apo, "from," the AV has "at the first," the RV, "from the beginning."

Notes: (1) In Jude 1:6 arche has the meaning "principality," as in the RV and the AV margin.

(2) In 2 Corinthians 8:12 prokeimai, "to be present," lit., "to lie beforehand" (pro, "before," keimaim "to lie"), RV renders "(if the readiness) is there," for AV, "if there be first (a willing mind)." See SET , A, No. 23.