1 Corinthians 9:1

1 Corinthians 9:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
• New International Version (NIV)Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

Context of 1 Corinthians 9:1

Am I not free [unrestrained and exempt from any obligation]? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our [risen] Lord [in person]? Are you not [the result and proof of] my work in the Lord? 2If I am not [considered] an apostle to others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal and the certificate and the living evidence of my apostleship in the Lord [confirming and authenticating it]. 3This is my defense to those who would put me on trial and interrogate me [concerning my authority as an apostle]:

1 Corinthians 9:1 word by word

Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα; οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Am Iεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• an apostleἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• freeἐλεύθεροςeleutheros · free/freedomG1658
• have Iὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• workἔργονergon · workG2041
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 9:1

• 1 Corinthians 9:2If I am not [considered] an apostle to others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal and the certificate and the living evidence of my apostleship in the Lord [confirming and authenticating it].
• 1 Corinthians 1:1Paul, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
• 1 Corinthians 15:8and last of all, as to one untimely (prematurely, traumatically) born, He appeared to me also.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
• Acts 13:2While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.”
• Acts 14:4But the people of the city were divided; some were siding with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
• Acts 22:14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, [and to progressively understand His plan with clarity and power] and to see the Righteous One [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and to hear a message from His [own] mouth.
• Acts 16:17She followed after Paul and us and kept screaming and shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
• Romans 1:1Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative), set apart for [preaching] the gospel of God [the good news of salvation],
• Romans 11:13But now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
• 2 Corinthians 11:5Yet I consider myself in no way inferior to the [so-called] super-apostles.
• 2 Corinthians 12:11Now I have become foolish; you have forced me [by questioning my apostleship]. Actually I should have been commended by you [instead of being treated disdainfully], for I was not inferior to those super-apostles, even if I am nobody.
• Galatians 1:1Paul, an apostle (not commissioned and sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ—the Messiah—and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),
• Galatians 2:7But on the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised (Gentiles), just as Peter had been [entrusted to proclaim the gospel] to the circumcised (Jews);
• 1 Timothy 2:7And for this matter I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying [when I say this]—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
• 2 Timothy 1:11for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher [of this good news regarding salvation].

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Am I not an apostle? - It is sufficiently evident that there were persons at Corinth who questioned the apostleship of St. Paul; and he was obliged to walk very circumspectly that they might not find any occasion against him. It appears also that he had given them all his apostolical labors gratis; and even this, which was the highest proof of his disinterested benevolence, was produced by his opposers as an argument against him. "Prophets, and all…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Am I not an apostle? - This was the point to be settled; and it is probable that some at Corinth had denied that he could be an apostle, since it was requisite, in order to that, to have seen the Lord Jesus; and since it was supposed that Paul had not been a witness of his life, doctrines, and death. Am I not free? - Am I not a free man; have I not the liberty which all Christians possess, and especially which all the apostles possess? The “liberty”…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline The apostle shows his authority, and asserts his right to be maintained. (1-14) He waved this part of his Christian liberty, for the good of others. (15-23) He did all this, with care and diligence, in view of an unfading crown. (24-27) Verses 1-14 It is not new for a minister to meet with unkind returns for good-will to a people, and diligent and successful services among them. To the cavils of some, the apostle answers, so as to set…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2These four rhetorical questions expect a positive answer. The first question, following his discussion in 8:1–13, asserts Paul's freedom from Jewish ritual obligations. However, he later emphasizes (see 9:19–23) that he willingly follows Jewish practices to win them to Christ. The other three questions assert Paul's apostolic authority, which some in Corinth questioned. For you are the seal: For skeptics, Paul's apostolic calling was confirmed by his…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-271Co 9:1-27. He Confirms His Teaching as to Not Putting a Stumbling-block in a Brother's Way (1Co 8:13) BY His Own Example in Not Using His Undoubted Rights as an Apostle, so as to Win Men to Christ. 1. Am I not an apostle? am I not free?--The oldest manuscripts read the order thus, "Am I not free? am I not an apostle?" He alludes to 1Co 8:9, "this liberty of yours": If you claim it, I appeal to yourselves as the witnesses, have not I also it? "Am I not…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 9:1

• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• In the Lord
• Jesus Christ
• Apostle
• Crown
• Forbear
• Mastery

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings