1 Corinthians 15:9 BSB

1 Corinthians 15:9

For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

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.

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Commentary

3 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

For - A reason for the appellation which he had given to himself in 1Co 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 former life.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

This title here, therefore, seems to include the seventy; if not all those, likewise, whom God afterwards sent to plant the gospel in heathen nations. An untimely birth - It was impossible to abase himself more than he does by this single appellation. As an abortion is not worthy the name of a man, so he affirms himself to be not worthy the name of an apostle.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

What kept Paul low in an especial manner was the remembrance of his former wickedness, his raging and destructive zeal against Christ and him members. Note, How easily God can bring a good out of the greatest evil! When sinners are by divine grace turned into saints, he makes the remembrance of their former sins very serviceable, to make them humble, and diligent, and faithful.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

19 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ἐγὼ	egō	I myself	G1473 →
γάρ	gar	for	G1063 →
εἰμι	eimi	am	G1510 →
ὁ	ho	the	G3588 →
ἐλάχιστος	elachistos	least	G1646 →
τῶν	tōn	of the	G3588 →
ἀποστόλων	apostolōn	apostles	G652 →
ὃς	hos	who	G3739 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
εἰμὶ	eimi	am	G1510 →
ἱκανὸς	hikanos	fit	G2425 →
καλεῖσθαι	kaleisthai	to be called	G2564 →
ἀπόστολος,	apostolos	an apostle,	G652 →
διότι	dioti	because	G1360 →
ἐδίωξα	ediōxa	I persecuted	G1377 →
τὴν	tēn	the	G3588 →
ἐκκλησίαν	ekklēsian	church	G1577 →
τοῦ	tou	<the>	G3588 →
θεοῦ·	theou	of God;	G2316 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Acts 8:3
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:13
  I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
- Philippians 3:6
  as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
- Galatians 1:13
  For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
- Acts 9:21
  All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners…
- Acts 7:58
  They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Through
2 Corinthians 12:11
I 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.
leads to
- 2 Corinthians 11:5
  I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:1
  I hope you will bear with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that.
- 1 Corinthians 15:8–10
  And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.