1 Corinthians 9:1 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?
1 Corinthians 9:1 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?
1 Corinthians 9:1 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?
1 Corinthians 9:1 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?
1 Corinthians 9:1 nlt
Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn't it because of my work that you belong to the Lord?
1 Corinthians 9 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 9:2 | "If to others I am not an apostle, to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." | Confirms his apostleship based on their spiritual state |
| 2 Cor 12:12 | "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, signs and wonders and mighty deeds." | Corroborates his authority through supernatural signs |
| Gal 1:1 | "Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead—" | Establishes his apostleship as directly from Christ |
| Acts 9:3-6 | "Now as he went on his way, heApproached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And he fell on the ground and heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." | The direct encounter with the resurrected Christ |
| John 20:26-28 | "Now a week later his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."" | Shows the reality of the resurrected Lord's presence |
| 1 Cor 1:1 | "Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes," | Recounts his calling by God's will |
| Rom 1:1 | "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God," | Affirms his apostleship in relation to the Gospel |
| 1 Tim 1:1 | "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope," | His apostleship is by the command of God |
| 2 Cor 3:3 | "And you yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all." | The Corinthians are living evidence of his ministry |
| Phil 4:17 | "Not that I seek a gift, but I seek the prize of the fruit that abounds to your account." | Desire for spiritual fruit from their lives |
| Col 1:23 | "if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, whereof I, Paul, became a minister." | Ministry tied to the continuation of faith |
| 1 Thes 2:4 | "but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." | Authenticity in ministry driven by God's approval |
| Heb 5:1 | "For every high priest taken from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins." | Illustrates the concept of being divinely appointed |
| 1 Cor 15:8 | "And last of all as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. To me as to one abnormally born." | Emphasizes the direct, even unique, appearance to Paul |
| 1 Cor 15:9 | "For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." | Paul's humility regarding his apostleship |
| Acts 22:14-15 | "And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear the utterance of his mouth,' " | Ananias confirms Paul's commission. |
| John 14:26 | "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." | The Spirit's role in validating and confirming truth |
| Acts 18:11 | "And he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them." | Mentions his time ministering in Corinth. |
| 1 Cor 1:8 | "who will sustain you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." | Assures their spiritual standing |
| 2 Cor 4:5 | "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." | Focus on Christ, not self, as the basis of ministry |
1 Corinthians 9 verses
1 Corinthians 9 1 Meaning
The apostle Paul asserts his apostleship by emphasizing that he has personally seen the Lord Jesus and that the Corinthians themselves are the seal and proof of his ministry. This opening establishes his authority to discuss the rights and privileges of an apostle, particularly regarding support for their ministry.
1 Corinthians 9 1 Context
This verse introduces chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians. Paul is defending his apostolic rights and freedoms, specifically his right to financial support from the church, in response to questions or challenges raised by the Corinthians. He first establishes his credentials as a true apostle, valid in the eyes of God and confirmed by the spiritual fruit evident in the Corinthian church. The Corinthian believers are tangible evidence that his ministry has been effective and divinely ordained. This personal encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus, along with the profound spiritual transformation of the Corinthians, validates his apostleship, empowering him to speak on matters of entitlement and dedication to ministry without compromise.
1 Corinthians 9 1 Word Analysis
- εἰ (ei): "if". Conditional particle, setting up a hypothetical or factual condition.
- οὐκ (ouk): "not". Negation, stating a lack or absence.
- ἔστιν (estin): "is" (third person singular present indicative of εἰμί - eimi). It states a fact or condition of being.
- ἐμὸς (emos): "my". Possessive pronoun, indicating belonging or relation.
- ἀπόστολος (apostolos): "apostle". Literally, "one who is sent forth." In the NT, specifically one commissioned by Christ to represent Him.
- Significance: This is a key term for Paul, referring to his authoritative commission from Jesus Himself, not from any human authority.
- εἰ (ei): "if". Repeats the conditional particle, reinforcing the structure.
- ὑμεῖς (humeis): "you" (plural). Refers directly to the recipients in Corinth.
- Significance: Paul shifts from a personal assertion to their demonstrable reality as evidence.
- τῆς (tes): "the" (genitive feminine singular definite article). Specifies possession or relation.
- ἐμῆς (emes): "my" (genitive feminine singular of ἐμὸς - emos).
- εἰμὶ (eimi): "I am" (first person singular present indicative of εἰμί - eimi).
- σφραγὶς (sphragis): "seal," "sign," "imprint." A mark of authenticity, ownership, or confirmation.
- Significance: This implies the Corinthians' conversion and continued faith are proof of Paul's genuine apostleship, like an official seal on a document.
- καὶ (kai): "and," "also," "even." Conjunction used to connect words, clauses, or sentences.
- τὸ (to): "the" (nominative neuter singular definite article). Used with the noun to identify it.
- τῶν (ton): "of the" (genitive plural masculine/neuter definite article).
- ἔργων (ergon): "works," "deeds," "labors." Refers to accomplishments or activities.
- Significance: While possibly referring to the signs and wonders, here it broadly points to the results of his ministry.
- ἐν (en): "in," "on," "among," "by." Preposition indicating location, means, or sphere.
- κυρίῳ (kyrio): "Lord" (dative masculine singular of κύριος - kyrios). Refers to Jesus Christ.
- Significance: It grounds his apostleship and the validity of his ministry firmly in Christ, the source of his authority.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "εἰ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος ἄλλοις" (ei ouk eimi apostolos allois): "If I am not an apostle to others". This is a concession, not an admission of doubt. He acknowledges that perhaps not everyone else considered him an apostle, but this fact is superseded by his status concerning the Corinthians.
- "ὑμῖν δὲ εἰμὶ" (hymin de eimi): "but to you I am". The emphatic "to you" highlights the Corinthians' direct experience with his apostleship. Their faith is presented as undeniable proof.
- "ὑμεῖς γάρ ἐστε ἡ σφραγὶς καὶ τὸ τέκνον τοῦ κυρίου" (hymeis gar este hē sphragis kai to teknon tou kyriou): "For you are the seal and the offspring of the Lord." While "technon" (offspring, child) is not in this specific verse (it appears in 1 Cor 4:14 for some interpretations), the sentiment of the Corinthians being a spiritual product of his ministry is strong. The text here uses "σφραγὶς" (sphragis - seal) and "τῶν ἔργων" (tōn ergōn - works). Therefore, the analysis should focus on "seal and the works" rather than "offspring," which may stem from a confusion with other passages. Paul argues that their very existence as believers in Christ, likely brought about through his preaching, serves as irrefutable proof of his divine commission.
1 Corinthians 9 1 Bonus Section
The "seeing Jesus Christ" phrase is a critical component of apostolic qualification as laid out by early church leaders, particularly in the book of Acts and Paul's own letters. For instance, Acts 1:21-22 mentions that an apostle must have companied with them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the baptism of John to that same day that he was taken up from us, one of these must be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. Paul's unique encounter on the road to Damascus, detailed in Acts 9, 22, and 26, fulfills this criterion in a specific way, as he saw the resurrected Christ directly, commissioning him. The emphasis on the Corinthians being a "seal" points to a tangible, observable result of ministry. This is consistent with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 13:43 about the righteous shining like the sun in the kingdom of their Father, implying that the fruit of faith would be a visible manifestation of God's work.
1 Corinthians 9 1 Commentary
Paul strategically begins his defense by establishing his apostleship, not through a list of qualifications, but by pointing to the undeniable reality in Corinth. He asserts, "Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" (v. 1). His rhetorical questions establish his authority, and then he grounds this authority in two crucial facts: his personal encounter with the resurrected Christ and the Corinthian church itself. Their transformation into believers is living proof – a "seal" – of his God-given commission and effective ministry. This personal testimony, validated by the spiritual fruit of the church, empowers him to speak boldly about his rights as an apostle, even as he later chooses to waive some of them for the sake of the Gospel. It highlights that true apostolic authority is recognized by God and is manifest in changed lives.