OET interlinear 1 COR 9:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος? οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος? οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα? οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν Κυρίῳ?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐκ εἰμί ἐλεύθερος Οὐκ εἰμί ἀπόστολος Οὐχί Ἰησοῦν τόν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα Οὒ τό ἔργον μού ὑμεῖς ἐστέ ἐν Κυρίῳ)

Paul does not ask these questions because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks them to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The questions assume that the answer to all of them is “yes.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express these questions by stating the ideas with strong affirmations. Alternate translation: [I certainly am free. I certainly am an apostle. I have certainly seen Jesus our Lord. You are certainly my work in the Lord.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐλεύθερος

free

Here, free could mean that Paul is free to: (1) eat whatever he wants. This connects this question with chapter 8. Alternate translation: [free to eat whatever I wish] (2) receive financial support from the believers he serves. This connects this question with the first half of this chapter. Alternate translation: [free to receive support from you]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὸ ἔργον μου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐκ εἰμί ἐλεύθερος Οὐκ εἰμί ἀπόστολος Οὐχί Ἰησοῦν τόν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα Οὒ τό ἔργον μού ὑμεῖς ἐστέ ἐν Κυρίῳ)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind work, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “labor.” Alternate translation: [whom I labor for]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὸ ἔργον μου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐκ εἰμί ἐλεύθερος Οὐκ εἰμί ἀπόστολος Οὐχί Ἰησοῦν τόν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα Οὒ τό ἔργον μού ὑμεῖς ἐστέ ἐν Κυρίῳ)

Here, work refers to the result of the work. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express work by clarifying that what the work produced is the focus here. Alternate translation: [the result of my work]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν Κυρίῳ

in ˓the˒_Lord

Here Paul uses the spatial metaphor in the Lord to describe the union of believers with Christ. In this case, being in the Lord, or united to the Lord, describes the work as what Paul does because of his union with the Lord. Alternate translation: [in union with the Lord] or [that I perform because I am united to the Lord]