1 Corinthians 15:9

1 Corinthians 15:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• New International Version (NIV)For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Context of 1 Corinthians 15:9

7Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth. For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

1 Corinthians 15:9 word by word

ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων ὃς οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ·Read the interlinear

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• leastἐλάχιστοςelachistos · leastG1646
• apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• unworthyοὐou · noG3756
• unworthyἱκανόςhikanos · sufficientG2425
• to be calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• becauseδιότιdioti · becauseG1360
• I persecutedδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
• churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 15:9

• 2 Corinthians 11:5I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”
• 2 Corinthians 12:11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
• Ephesians 3:7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
• Acts 8:3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
• Acts 9:1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
• Acts 22:4I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
• Acts 26:9So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
• Galatians 1:13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
• Philippians 3:6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
• 1 Timothy 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9I am the least of the apostles - This was literally true in reference to his being chosen last, and chosen not in the number of the twelve, but as an extra apostle. How much pains do some men take to make the apostle contradict himself, by attempting to show that he was the very greatest of the apostles, though he calls himself the least! Taken as a man and a minister of Christ, he was greater than any of the twelve; taken as an apostle he was less than…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9For - A reason for the appellation which he had given to himself in 1 Corinthians 15:8. I am the least of the apostles - Not on account of any defect in his commission, or any lack of qualification to bear witness in what he saw, but on account of the great crime of his life, the fact that he had been a persecutor. Paul could never forget that; as a man who has been profane and a scoffer, when he becomes converted, can never forget the deep guilt of his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9as to one of untimely birth: This phrase can refer to a miscarriage or stillbirth. Here it might describe the unusual way Paul converted, the negative view some opponents had of his role as an apostle, or his own feelings of unworthiness to be an apostle. The main focus is on God's extraordinary grace to Paul, who once persecuted Christ’s followers (see Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6; compare Acts 8:3; 9:1–2). He appeared to me also: Paul met the risen…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. least--The name, "Paulus," in Latin, means "least." I persecuted the church--Though God has forgiven him, Paul can hardly forgive himself at the remembrance of his past sin.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 15:9

• Church
• Humility
• Paul
• Repentance
• Sin
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Awake
• Church
• Corrupt
• Corruptible
• Die
• Differ
• Flesh
• Immortality

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 15

• 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
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings