Of course 1 Corinthians 9 has it's own context and the incorruptible crown is not the gospel.
The gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16)
1 Corinthians 9:16 - For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel. *Nothing there about salvation by works.
That I may be a joint partaker thereof (ina sunkoinwno autou genwmai). Literally, That I may become co-partner with others in the gospel. The point is that he may be able to share the gospel with others, his evangelistic passion. Sunkoinwno is a compound word (sun, together with, koinwno, partner or sharer). We have two genitives with it in Philippians 1:7 , though en and the locative is used in Revelation 1:9. It is found only in the N.T. and a late papyrus. Paul does not wish to enjoy the gospel just by himself. https://www.biblestudytools.com/com...ictures/1-corinthians/1-corinthians-9-23.html
To keep it simple we will continue with the KJV.
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
(1Co 9:23 KJV)
The clause "I might be" is in the subjunctive mode, the mode of possibility and it is in the first person singular. Paul is talking about himself in relation to something that is not yet but could be in the future. "I may be Becoming"
Partaker simply means to be a co participate, a sharer, a fellow sharer.
The clause "There of" in the KJV is a personal pronoun in the genitive case. It is being used in relation to the Gospel. A better translation would be "of it". "It" being the Gospel.
So basically what we have is, "
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that a fellow sharer I may be becoming of it"
To think or say it says anything other than that is to add what is not there.
Now in relation to that, IN THE SAME CONTEXT Paul writes "KNOW YE NOT" He says this to draw them in to his doing something for the Gospel's sake that he (They) may be becoming a co partaker of it. He says, So run, run that you may receive, in other words do for the Gospel's sake, that ye may obtain. Be a fellow partaker of the Gospel.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
(1Co 9:24 KJV)
As we continue we see Paul continuing in the same subject. We know this because uses the word obtain again. Once again it is TO OBTAIN as in not yet being a partaker of it. Since the subject was obtaining the Gospel, being a partaker of it, then CONTEXTUALLY the Incorruptible Crown must be being used as a Metaphor for the Gospel. Paul says this doing, this running all to obtain is also striving for mastery, being temperate in all things. This we do through Christ to obtain the Incorruptible Crown, the Kingdom of God, salvation through the resurrection.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
(1Co 9:25 KJV)
Paul compared preaching the gospel to others (His ministry) to a race. Here take a look. Verse 27 -.
How?
To stay in context to what was previously stated. The running that he therefore so runs is the Doing, running with all we got to obtain. Striving for mastery, being temperate in all things. To obtain the Incorruptible Crown, the Kingdom of God, salvation through the resurrection. Keeping our Body under subjection, the servitude of Christ. Lest by any means when we have preached to others we ourselves would be found Castaway, rejected, unworthy dross.
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
(1Co 9:26-27 KJV)
As was said before the context continues in chapter ten.
We know this because CHAPTER TEN starts with word "moreover".
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
So In relation to this race that Paul says he brings his body into subjection; he makes it obey him, DOES HIS BEST TO NOT SIN lest he be found castaway (unqualified, therefore rejected , a reprobate). He Calls for us not to be ignorant. He says In relation to this race, the Gospel of Christ (1 Cor 9:12,18,23) Paul says that Israel ALSO PARTOOK OF SAME SPIRITUAL MEAT AND SAME SPIRITUAL DRINK OF THAT Spiritual Rock that followed them, Christ. Same race...WE KNOW THAT WHEN PAUL IS SPEAKING ABOUT KEEPING HIS BODY UNDER SUBJECTION HE IS REFERRING TO NOT SINNING, NOT LUSTING AFTER EVIL THINGS. BECAUSE PAUL THROUGH THE SPIRIT STARTS LISTING SINS.
But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Though they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. They were not temperate, keeping their bodies unto subjection making it obey them. They lusted after evil things. Idolaters, fornicators, murmurers, tempting Christ. Let us not Tempt Christ as they did. For these things were written for ensamples for our admonition.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.