1 Corinthians 9:1-3

Amplified Bible

Paul’s Use of Liberty

9 Am I not free [unrestrained and exempt from any obligation]? Am I not an apostle? Have I not ^[a]seen Jesus our [risen] Lord [in person]? Are you not [the result and proof of] my work in the Lord? ²If I am not [considered] an apostle to others, at least I am one to you; for you are the seal and the certificate and the living evidence of my apostleship in the Lord [confirming and authenticating it].

³This is my defense to those who would put me on trial and interrogate me [concerning my authority as an apostle]:

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Footnotes

1 Corinthians 9:1 Paul knew that to be an apostle in the same sense as the original twelve apostles (with Matthias replacing Judas Iscariot, Acts 1:26), he had to be an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22). His encounter with Christ on his journey to Damascus met this requirement (Acts 9:2-8, 27; 22:6-21; 26:12-18).