Last of all: Last means “last in time.”
As to one untimely born: this phrase and the rest of the verse present serious problems for the translator, as Good News Bible‘s text and footnote suggest. The difficulties do not lie on the surface. The phrase may be literally translated “like” or “as if to the miscarriage.” The word for “miscarriage” is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, but its meaning is clear from other literature.
The use of the article in the phrase “the miscarriage” may be understood in various ways: (1) as generic, meaning “any”; (2) as referring to an insult made against Paul by people in Corinth; or (3) as referring to some previous or widely known use of the expression, as one might refer, for example, to “the fiery furnace,” with Daniel 3 in mind. This would explain why Paul, immediately after placing himself Last of all in the list of apostles and others who saw the risen Christ, should apply to himself the image of a baby born not too late, but untimely born or “too soon.” Paul’s figurative language is often unclear, but a translator should make every reasonable effort to resolve so direct a contradiction. New International Version has “abnormally born” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible).
If this explanation is correct, the basis of comparison is not that of the time at which Paul became an apostle, but the “abnormal” (Good News Bible footnote) or even “monstrous” fact of a persecutor becoming an apostle. This interpretation fits in with verse 9.
The translation as to one untimely born is not very meaningful in English. A possible translation is “I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.” In many languages the word for “miscarriage” will be preferable here.
To me is heavily emphatic and should be emphasized by translators if possible.
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .