In Corinth Paul Teaches The Gentiles For 18 Months
18 After these things, having departed from Athens, he went to Corinth. 2 And having found a certain Jew— Aquila by name, a Pontian by nationality, having recently come from Italy because Claudius[a] had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome— and Priscilla his wife, he went to them. 3 And because of being the same-trade, he was staying with them and working— for they were tent-makers by trade. 4 And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuading Jews and Greeks. 5 But when both Silas and Timothy came[b] down from Macedonia, Paul was occupying-himself with the word[c], solemnly-testifying to the Jews that the Christ is Jesus. 6 But while they were opposing and blaspheming, he said to them, having shaken-out his garments, “Your blood be upon your head; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles”. 7 And having passed on from there, he entered into the house of a certain one worshiping God—Titius Justus by name— whose house was bordering[d] on the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the synagogue-official, believed in the Lord with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians hearing were believing and being baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul during the night through a vision, “Do not be afraid, but be speaking and do not be silent— 10 because I am with you, and no one will set-upon you to harm you; because there is a large people for Me in this city”. 11 And he sat for a year and six months[e], teaching the word of God among them.
Paul Is Brought Before The Proconsul By The Jews. Gallio Refuses To Intervene
12 Now while Gallio[f] was being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with-one-accord rose-up-against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat, 13 saying that “This one is persuading[g] people to worship God contrary to the Law”. 14 And Paul being about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were some crime or evil villainy, O Jews, I would have borne-with you in accordance with reason— 15 but since it is issues about talk[h] and names[i] and your Law, see to it yourselves. I am not willing to be a judge of these things”. 16 And he drove them away from the judgment-seat. 17 And having all taken-hold-of Sosthenes, the synagogue-official, they were striking him in front of the judgment seat. And none of these[j] things was-a-concern to Gallio.
In Ephesus, Paul Prepares Them For a Future Visit And Then Returns Home To Antioch
18 And Paul, having stayed-on considerable days longer, having said-good-bye to the brothers, was sailing-off to Syria— and Priscilla and Aquila with him— having sheared his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow[k]. 19 And they came to Ephesus. And those[l] ones he left-behind there[m]. And he himself, having entered into the synagogue, reasoned with the Jews. 20 And while they were asking him to stay for more time, he did not consent. 21 But having said-goodbye, and having said, “I will return again to you, God willing”, he put-to-sea from Ephesus. 22 And having come down to Caesarea, having gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch[n].
Paul Embarks On a Third Journey. Priscilla And Aquila Update Apollos
23 And having done some time there, he went forth[o], going successively through the Galatian region[p] and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 24 Now a certain Jew— Apollos by name, an Alexandrian by nationality, an eloquent man— came to Ephesus, being powerful in the Scriptures. 25 This one had been instructed as to the way of the Lord. And boiling in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing-about only the baptism of John. 26 And this one began to speak-boldly in the synagogue. And having heard him, Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and explained the way of God to him more-accurately. 27 And he wanting to go to Achaia, the brothers, having urged him forward, wrote to the disciples to welcome him; who, having arrived, greatly helped the ones having believed through grace. 28 For he was vigorously[q] refuting the Jews in public, showing through the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus.
Footnotes
- Acts 18:2 He was Roman emperor from a.d. 41-54. The event named here may refer to an incident in a.d. 49.
- Acts 18:5 At this point Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians (1Thes 3:6). Some think he wrote Galatians during this stay in Corinth (see 14:28).
- Acts 18:5 Some manuscripts instead say ‘Paul was compelled by the Spirit’.
- Acts 18:7 Or, adjacent to.
- Acts 18:11 During this period between Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians.
- Acts 18:12 Junius Gallio, the brother of Seneca the philosopher, was the Roman proconsul (governor) of Achaia in a.d. 51-52.
- Acts 18:13 Or more negatively, inducing.
- Acts 18:15 That is, as opposed to deeds. Or, a word, a message.
- Acts 18:15 Perhaps Gallio means whether ‘Jesus’ is also ‘Christ’.
- Acts 18:17 That is, the matters raised by the Jews; or, the beating of Sosthenes; or, both.
- Acts 18:18 Or, prayer. As a result of an answered prayer or vow, probably with regard to his just completed work in Corinth, Paul cut off his hair, a Jewish custom.
- Acts 18:19 That is, Priscilla and Aquila.
- Acts 18:19 That is, in Ephesus, to prepare for Paul’s planned return, mentioned next.
- Acts 18:22 Thus Paul completes this second journey on which this church had sent him back in 15:40.
- Acts 18:23 Note that the church is not mentioned this time. Paul is returning to the base of operations in Ephesus in Asia which he has already chosen and prepared in v 19.
- Acts 18:23 Or, the Galatian and Phrygian region, referring to one region instead of two, as in 16:6.
- Acts 18:28 Or, forcefully.