independentparticipialpurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
Free and an apostle — the fourfold claim 9:1–2
1
Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος;independent — οὐκ expects 'yes' — the catchword from ch. 8
οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος;independent — the office questioned at Corinth, asserted
οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα;independent — the credential — the resurrection appearance (cf. 15:8)
οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ;independent — the proof — the church itself
2
εἰ ἄλλοις οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος,conditional — protasis — conceded for argument's sake; leans on the line below
ἀλλά γε ὑμῖν εἰμι·independent — apodosis — ἀλλά γε, 'at any rate'
ἡ γὰρ σφραγίς μου τῆς ἀποστολῆς ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ.cause — the ground — the Corinthians as authenticating seal
The defense — the rights of an apostle 9:3–14
vv. 3–6 — the rights claimed: food, a wife, freedom from labor
3
Ἡ ἐμὴ ἀπολογία τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀνακρίνουσίν ἐστιν αὕτη.independent — the heading — αὕτη points forward to the questions that follow
4
μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν φαγεῖν καὶ πεῖν;independent — μὴ οὐκ — the double negative expects 'of course we do'
5
μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφὴν γυναῖκα περιάγειν,independent — the second right — a sister as wife, supported on mission
ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ Κηφᾶς;comparative — the precedent — the Corinthian favorites themselves
6
ἢ μόνος ἐγὼ καὶ Βαρναβᾶς οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν μὴ ἐργάζεσθαι;independent — the third right, ironized — are they alone exempt?
vv. 7–10 — the analogies of common life, and the Law's warrant
7
τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ;independent — first analogy — the soldier
τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει;independent — second analogy — the vinedresser
ἢ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει;independent — third analogy — the shepherd: the worker lives from the work
8
Μὴ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ταῦτα λαλῶ,independent — μή expects 'no' — the objection pre-empted
ἢ καὶ ὁ νόμος ταῦτα οὐ λέγει;independent — the counter-question — common sense raised to divine warrant
9
ἐν γὰρ τῷ Μωϋσέως νόμῳ γέγραπται·independent — the citation formula — γέγραπται, Scripture's standing authority
Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα.content — Deut 25:4 — the imperatival future; let the working ox eat
μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ θεῷ;independent — the diatribe presses the text — μή expects 'no'
10
ἢ δι' ἡμᾶς πάντως λέγει;independent — the alternative — πάντως, 'assuredly'
δι' ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἐγράφη,independent — the answer — the law's true target is human workers
ὅτι ὀφείλει ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριᾶν,cause — ὅτι read as causal — why it was written — not further citation
καὶ ὁ ἀλοῶν ἐπ' ἐλπίδι τοῦ μετέχειν.cause — elliptical — ὀφείλει carried over; the hope is a share
vv. 11–12 — the a-fortiori from fairness, and the right waived
11
εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν τὰ πνευματικὰ ἐσπείραμεν,conditional — protasis — the greater gift given; leans on the question below
μέγαindependent — the verbless apodosis — 'is it a great thing?'
εἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμῶν τὰ σαρκικὰ θερίσομεν;conditional — backward conditional on μέγα — the lesser harvest
12
εἰ ἄλλοι τῆς ὑμῶν ἐξουσίας μετέχουσιν,conditional — protasis — others have drawn on it; leans on the question below
οὐ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς;independent — elliptical apodosis — the founder's prior claim
ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ,independent — the hinge of the chapter — the right, freshly proven, waived
ἀλλὰ πάντα στέγομενindependent — the counter-practice — στέγω, bearing every hardship
ἵνα μή τινα ἐγκοπὴν δῶμεν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ.purpose — the controlling aim — no ἐγκοπή before the gospel
vv. 13–14 — the temple precedent and the Lord's own command
13
οὐκ οἴδατεindependent — appeal to shared knowledge
ὅτι οἱ τὰ ἱερὰ ἐργαζόμενοι τὰ ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἐσθίουσιν,content — the cultic rule — priests fed from the sanctuary (Lev 6; Num 18)
οἱ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ παρεδρεύοντες τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ συμμερίζονται;content — the parallel limb — altar attendants share the altar
14
οὕτως καὶ ὁ κύριος διέταξενindependent — the capstone — dominical ordinance, not analogy (cf. Luke 10:7)
τοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον καταγγέλλουσιν ἐκ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ζῆν.content — the command's content — infinitive of the thing ordained
The boast — rights renounced, the reward redefined 9:15–18
15
ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ κέχρημαι οὐδενὶ τούτων.independent — emphatic ἐγώ — the perfect marks his settled policy
οὐκ ἔγραψα δὲ ταῦταindependent — epistolary aorist — no claim being lodged now
ἵνα οὕτως γένηται ἐν ἐμοί,purpose — the disclaimed purpose — that support now be given
καλὸν γάρ μοι μᾶλλον ἀποθανεῖν ἤ —cause — the anacoluthon — the comparison breaks off at ἤ, unsmoothed
τὸ καύχημά μου οὐδεὶς κενώσει.independent — the broken sentence resolves into defiance — κενόω, cf. 1:17
16
ἐὰν γὰρ εὐαγγελίζωμαι,conditional — protasis — the general case; leans on the line below
οὐκ ἔστιν μοι καύχημα·independent — apodosis — mere preaching earns no boast
ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι ἐπίκειται·cause — the reason — compulsion, not option (cf. Jer 20:9)
οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐστινcause — the necessity's proof — the prophetic cry
ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσωμαι.conditional — backward conditional on οὐαί — silence would be disaster
17
εἰ γὰρ ἑκὼν τοῦτο πράσσω,conditional — protasis — voluntary service; leans on the line below
μισθὸν ἔχω·independent — apodosis — the willing worker's wage
εἰ δὲ ἄκων,conditional — elliptical protasis — πράσσω carried over; leans on the line below
οἰκονομίαν πεπίστευμαι.independent — apodosis — the trust stands regardless (cf. 4:1–2)
18
τίς οὖν μού ἐστιν ὁ μισθός;independent — the question the dilemma forces
ἵνα εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀδάπανον θήσω τὸ εὐαγγέλιον,content — ἵνα epexegetic — the reward's content, not its purpose
εἰς τὸ μὴ καταχρήσασθαι τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ μου ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ.purpose — εἰς τό + inf. — the right deliberately left unpressed
All things to all people 9:19–23
19
Ἐλεύθερος γὰρ ὢν ἐκ πάντωνparticipial — concessive participle, fronted — the freedom of v. 1, about to be spent
πᾶσιν ἐμαυτὸν ἐδούλωσα,independent — the paradox — ἐλεύθερος turned δοῦλος by his own act
ἵνα τοὺς πλείονας κερδήσω·purpose — κερδαίνω — the commercial verb of the whole series
20
καὶ ἐγενόμην τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὡς Ἰουδαῖος,independent — first accommodation — Jewish custom kept (cf. Acts 21:26)
ἵνα Ἰουδαίους κερδήσω·purpose — each accommodation paired with its ἵνα
τοῖς ὑπὸ νόμον ὡς ὑπὸ νόμον,independent — elliptical — ἐγενόμην carried over
μὴ ὢν αὐτὸς ὑπὸ νόμον,phrase modifier — the guarded parenthesis — strategy, not a change of standing
ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον κερδήσω·purpose — the second ἵνα of the series
21
τοῖς ἀνόμοις ὡς ἄνομος,independent — elliptical — the Gentiles outside Torah
μὴ ὢν ἄνομος θεοῦ ἀλλ' ἔννομος Χριστοῦ,phrase modifier — the second parenthesis — not antinomian: ἔννομος Χριστοῦ (cf. Gal 6:2)
ἵνα κερδάνω τοὺς ἀνόμους·purpose — the third ἵνα — alternate aorist κερδάνω
22
ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἀσθενέσιν ἀσθενής,independent — fourth accommodation — the scrupulous of ch. 8
ἵνα τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς κερδήσω·purpose — the fourth ἵνα
τοῖς πᾶσιν γέγονα πάντα,independent — the summary maxim — the perfect marks the abiding pattern
ἵνα πάντως τινὰς σώσω.purpose — the wordplay πάντα/πάντως — winning deepened to saving
23
πάντα δὲ ποιῶ διὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον,independent — the governing motive of vv. 19–22
ἵνα συγκοινωνὸς αὐτοῦ γένωμαι.purpose — the final ἵνα — Paul himself a partaker of the gospel
The athlete — run to win 9:24–27
24
Οὐκ οἴδατεindependent — appeal to shared knowledge — the Isthmian games near Corinth
ὅτι οἱ ἐν σταδίῳ τρέχοντες πάντες μὲν τρέχουσιν,content — the μέν limb — all compete
εἷς δὲ λαμβάνει τὸ βραβεῖον;content — the δέ limb — only one wins the βραβεῖον
οὕτως τρέχετεindependent — the imperative — the image turned on the readers
ἵνα καταλάβητε.purpose — the aim — seize the prize (cf. Phil 3:12)
25
πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἀγωνιζόμενος πάντα ἐγκρατεύεται,independent — the point of the image — ἐγκράτεια, the athlete's training discipline
ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν ἵνα φθαρτὸν στέφανον λάβωσιν,purpose — the μέν limb — the withering garland of the games
ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄφθαρτον.purpose — elliptical antithesis — ἵνα λάβωσιν carried over; the eternal crown
26
ἐγὼ τοίνυν οὕτως τρέχωindependent — τοίνυν — the personal application
ὡς οὐκ ἀδήλως,comparative — the manner — not without a clear goal
οὕτως πυκτεύωindependent — the second image — the boxer
ὡς οὐκ ἀέρα δέρων·comparative — no shadow-sparring — every blow lands
27
ἀλλὰ ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ,independent — ὑπωπιάζω, 'give a black eye' — δουλαγωγῶ echoes ἐδούλωσα (v. 19)
μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι.purpose — negative purpose — the herald himself ruled out: the chapter's sober seal
Analysis. 1 Corinthians 9 reads as a wall of flush-left purple: from the four opening questions (Am I not free? not an apostle?) through v. 13, Paul's defense is a barrage of independent rhetorical questions, each expecting its answer, with only thin dependent fringes — olive protases leaning forward on their apodoses (vv. 2, 11, 12, 16, 17), and the one Scripture line, Deut 25:4, hanging in blue under γέγραπται before the diatribe snaps back with μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ θεῷ;. The hinge is visible at v. 12b: after the rights are built to their height, the flush-left line ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα turns the whole column, and vv. 15–18 stack the renunciation, including the famous anacoluthon of v. 15 — the dashed, suspended line καλὸν γάρ μοι μᾶλλον ἀποθανεῖν ἤ — breaking off mid-comparison into the defiant flush-left τὸ καύχημά μου οὐδεὶς κενώσει. Verses 19–23 are the most regular music in the chapter: each ἐγενόμην clause with its paired green ἵνα … κερδήσω, the two guarded parentheses (μὴ ὢν αὐτὸς ὑπὸ νόμον; μὴ ὢν ἄνομος θεοῦ ἀλλ' ἔννομος Χριστοῦ) set off as modifiers so the strategy never touches Paul's standing before God. The athlete close (vv. 24–27) alternates short commands and purposes down to μή πως … ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. Sides taken: the ὅτι of v. 10 is read as causal (why it was written) rather than as the content of a further citation; the ἵνα of v. 18 is taken as epexegetic — the content of the μισθός, not its purpose — so it is typed as content, not purpose; v. 11's second εἰ is a backward conditional anchored under the verbless μέγα; v. 15's ἤ is left broken, not smoothed into a syntactic ἤ-clause; and the ἵνα of v. 16's woe-line chain is read as grounds descending from the denial of boast (καύχημα → ἀνάγκη → οὐαί → ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσωμαι).