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International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

First:

furst ('echadh, ri'shon; proton, to proton, protos): Of these words, which are those most frequently used for "first," ri'shon is from rosh, "the head, and is used for the highest, chief, etc.; also of time, the beginning, e.g. Ge 8:13, in the first month"; in Isa 44:6; 48:12, it is used of Yahweh as Eternal and solely Supreme-the First and the Last (compare Isa 41:4). Special usages are in connection with "firstborn," "first- fruit," etc.; proton is used of that which is first in order; but also of that which is first or chief in importance, etc. (Mt 6:33; Jas 3:17). In 1Ti 1:15, Paul says Jesus came "to save sinners; of whom I am chief," literally, "first"; the same word is used by Jesus of the "first" of the commandments (Mr 12:29); where we read in 1Co 15:3, "I delivered unto you first of all," it is en protois ("in the foremost place"); "The first and the last" is applied to Christ as Eternal and Supreme (Re 1:17; 2:8; 22:13); protos is "the first day" (Mt 26:17; Mr 16:9); in Mt 28:1; Mr 16:2; Lu 24:1; Joh 20:1,19; Ac 20:7, it is mia ("one").

Written by W. L. Walker

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

First:

the superlative degree of pro, "before," is used

(I) "of time or place,"

(a) as a noun, e.g., Luk 14:18; Rev 1:17; opposite to "the last," in the neuter plural, Mat 12:45; Luk 11:26; 2Pe 2:20; in the neuter singular, opposite to "the second," Hbr 10:9; in 1Cr 15:3, en protois, lit., "in the first (things, or matters)" denotes "first of all;"

(b) as an adjective, e.g., Mar 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 Jhn 20:4, 8; Rom 10:19, e.g., equivalent to an English adverb; in Jhn 1:15, lit., "first of me," i.e., "before me" (of superiority);

First:

the comparative degree of pro (see No. 1), "former, before," denotes "first" in Hbr 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 Gal 4:13, "I preached... unto you the first time" means on the former of his two previous visits.

First:

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

First:

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

First:

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

First:

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., Luk 24:1; 1Cr 16:2; cp. A, and see DAY; also in Tts 3:10, of a "first" admonition to a heretical man.
See ONE.

First:

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

Notes:

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

(2) In 2Cr 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.