---
title: "1 Corinthians 9 - Study King James Bible with pooles english annotations on the holy bible"
description: "Read 1 Corinthians 9 with pooles english annotations on the holy bible commentary. 1 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? 2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet dou"
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url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/pooles-english-annotations-on-the-holy-bible/1-corinthians/9"
---

[ Read](/kjv/1-corinthians/9)[ Commentary](/study/1-corinthians/9)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/1-corinthians/9) Audio

 1 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?

 2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

 3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and *as* the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

 7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

 8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

 10 Or saith he *it* altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, *this* is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, *is it* a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

 12 If others be partakers of *this* power over you, *are* not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live *of the things* of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

 15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for *it were* better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

 16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation *of the gospel* is committed unto me.

 18 What is my reward then? *Verily* that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

 19 For though I be free from all *men*, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all *men*, that I might by all means save some.

 23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with *you*.

 24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they *do it* to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

 27 But I keep under my body, and bring *it* into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
 
[1 Corinthians 8](/study/1-corinthians/8) [1 Corinthians 10](/study/1-corinthians/10)

## Commentary

 To verse 1
 
Chapter Introduction 

In the greater part of this chapter, the apostle proceedeth in his former discourse, not speaking particularly to the case of eating meat offered to idols, but to the general point, viz. That it is our duty to abate of our liberty, when we see we cannot use it without harm to other Christians. And here he proposeth to them his own example, who had restrained himself in three things, to two of which he had a liberty, and yet avoided it, and that not to prevent their sinning, but only their suffering, and that, too, only by being by him over-burdened: 

1. As to eating and drinking. 

2. Abstaining from marriage, by which he might have been more chargeable to them. 

3. Requiring maintenance of them for his labour amongst them. As to both which he declares he had from God’s law a liberty, but had forborne to use that part from which the church in that state might be prejudiced. 

Am I not an apostle? Some that are puffed up or seduced, will, it may be, deny that I am an apostle, a preacher of the gospel of the greatest eminency, immediately sent out by Christ to preach his gospel; but will any of you deny it? 

Am I not free? Have I not the same liberty that any of you have in things wherein the law of God hath no more determined me than you? What charter of liberty hath God given to any of you more than he hath to me? 

Have I not seen Jesus Christ? Did not I see Christ in my going to Damascus? [Acts 9:5](/kjv/acts/9/5); [Acts 22:13](/kjv/acts/22/13),[Acts 22:14](/kjv/acts/22/14); and when I was in my ecstasy, when I was rapt into the third heavens? [2 Corinthians 12:2-4](/kjv/2-corinthians/12/2-4); in prison? [Acts 23:11](/kjv/acts/23/11). He was the only apostle we read of, who saw Christ after his ascension. 

Are not ye my work in the Lord? If others will not look upon me as an apostle: God having wrought nothing upon their souls by my ministry, yet you, whose faith is my work, though in the Lord, as the principal efficient Cause, yet by me as God’s instrument, cannot deny me to be so: if my having seen Jesus Christ, and being immediately sent out by him, be not enough to prove me so to you, yet the effects of my ministry upon you puts it past your denial.

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