1 Corinthians 9:2
in 1 Corinthians 9Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 9
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThose Jewish believers who nevertheless continued to observe the law of Moses denied that Paul was an apostle because he taught that it was no longer necessary to be circumcised or to observe the sabbath. Even the other apostles thought that he was teaching something …
This site's exposition
Am I not an apostle
on 1 Corinthians 9:1-2
Seeing the risen Lord was the qualification Acts 1:22 set for filling Judas's place, and Paul claims it as the Twelve did. The Corinthians are the seal of his apostleship, as a signet authenticates a document.
This site's exposition
the seal of my apostleship
Paul narrows his claim to the church he founded. Clarke reads the seal as the Corinthians' own conversion, God's mark on a mission He sent.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"If to others I am not an Apostle, yet at least I am to you." Do you see how far he is from enlarging here without necessity? And yet he had the whole world to speak of, and barbarous nations, and sea and land. However, he mentions none of these things, but carries his point by concession, and even granting more than he need. As if he had said, "Why need I dwell on things over and above, since these even alone are enough for my present purpose? I speak not, you will observe, of my achievements in other quarters, but of those which have you for witnesses. Upon which it follows that if from no other quarter, yet from you I have a right to receive. Nevertheless, from whom I had most right to receive, even you whose teacher I was, from those I received not." "If to others I am not an Apostle, yet at least I am to you." Again, he states his point by concession. For the whole world had him for its Apostle. "However," saith he, "I say not that, I am not contending nor disputing, but what concerns you I lay down. 'For the seal of mine Apostleship are ye:'" i.e., its proof. "Should any one, moreover, desire to learn whence I am an Apostle, you are the persons whom I bring forward: for all the signs of an Apostle have I exhibited among you, and not one have I failed in." As also he speaks in the Second Epistle, saying, "Though I am nothing, truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works. For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the Churches?" Wherefore he saith, "The seal of mine Apostleship are ye." "For I both exhibited miracles, and taught by word, and underwent dangers, and shewed forth a blameless life." And these topics you may see fully set forth by these two Epistles, how he lays before them the demonstration of each with all exactness.
The Medieval Church1 voice
I do not say that I am a teacher of the whole universe; but am I not a teacher to you at least? Why then did I take nothing from you, from whom I had a special right to take? Through such a concession he …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
If I be not an apostle unto others,....
He claims a right to subsist by his ministry, and defends it by several arguments from natural reason and the Mosaical law, and asserts it also to be a constitution of Christ,
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
If I be not an apostle unto others - If there be other Churches which have been founded by other apostles; yet it is not so with you. The seal of mine apostleship are ye - Your conversion to Christianity is God’s seal to my apostleship. Had not God sent me, I could not have profited your souls. The σφραγις or seal, was a figure cut in a stone, and that set in a ring, by which letters of credence and authority were stamped. The ancients, particularly the Greeks, excelled in this kind of engraving.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
If I be not an apostle unto others - “If I have not given evidence to others of my apostolic mission; of my being sent by the Lord Jesus, yet I have to you. Assuredly you, among whom I have labored so long and so successfully, should not doubt that I am sent from the Lord. You have been well acquainted with me; you have witnessed my endowments, you have seen my success, and you have had abundant evidence that I have been sent on this great work. It is therefore strange in you to doubt my apostolic commission; and it is unkind in you so to construe my declining to accept your contributions and aid for my support, as if I were conscious that I was not entitled to that.” For the seal of mine apostleship. - Your conversion is the demonstration that I am an apostle. Paul uses strong language. He does not mean to say that their conversion furnished some evidence that he was an apostle; but that it was absolute proof, and unbreakable demonstration, that he was an apostle. A “seal” is that which is affixed to a deed, or other instrument, to make it firm, secure, and indisputable. It is the proof or demonstration of the validity of the conveyance, or of the writing; see the notes at Joh 3:33; Joh 6:27. The sense here is, therefore, that the conversion of the Corinthians was a certain demonstration that he was an apostle, and should be so regarded by them, and treated by them. It was such a proof: (1) Because Paul claimed to be an apostle while among them, and God blessed and owned this claim; (2) Their conversion could not have been accomplished by man. It was the work of God. […]
The words behind it
19 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| ἄλλοις | allois | to others | G243 → | 155 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εἰμὶ | eimi | I am | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἀπόστολος, | apostolos | an apostle, | G652 → | 79 times |
| ἀλλά | alla | yet | G235 → | 635 times |
| γε | ge | at least | G1065 → | 27 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| εἰμι· | eimi | I am; | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| σφραγίς | sphragis | seal | G4973 → | |
| μου | mou | of my | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀποστολῆς | apostoles | apostleship | G651 → | |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | you yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐστε | este | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| κυρίῳ. | kurio | [the] Lord. | G2962 → | 711 times |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
ἄλλοιςto others
alloisG243 →155 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
εἰμὶI am
eimiG1510 →2333 times
ἀπόστολος,an apostle,
apostolosG652 →79 times
ἀλλάyet
allaG235 →635 times
γεat least
geG1065 →27 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
εἰμι·I am;
eimiG1510 →2333 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
σφραγίςseal
sphragisG4973 →
μουof my
mouG3165 →1936 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἀποστολῆςapostleship
apostolesG651 →
ὑμεῖςyou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
ἐστεare
esteG1510 →2333 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
κυρίῳ.[the] Lord.
kurioG2962 →711 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 6:27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of…
it leads to
- Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
- Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the…
- John 6:54
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
- 2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
- Matthew 6:19
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
- Colossians 3:2
Through
2 Corinthians 12:12The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.
it leads to
- Romans 15:18–19
I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
- 2 Corinthians 4:2
Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to…
- Romans 15:18–19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 21; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.