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In Corinth Paul Teaches The Gentiles For 18 Months

18 After these things, having departed from Athens, he went to Corinth. 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. And because of being the same-trade, he was staying with them and working— for they were tent-makers by trade. And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuading Jews and Greeks. 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. 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”. And having passed on from there, he entered into the house of a certain one worshiping GodTitius Justus by name— whose house was bordering[d] on the synagogue. And Crispus, the synagogue-official, believed in the Lord with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians hearing were believing and being baptized. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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).
  3. Acts 18:5 Some manuscripts instead say ‘Paul was compelled by the Spirit’.
  4. Acts 18:7 Or, adjacent to.
  5. Acts 18:11 During this period between Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians.
  6. Acts 18:12 Junius Gallio, the brother of Seneca the philosopher, was the Roman proconsul (governor) of Achaia in a.d. 51-52.
  7. Acts 18:13 Or more negatively, inducing.
  8. Acts 18:15 That is, as opposed to deeds. Or, a word, a message.
  9. Acts 18:15 Perhaps Gallio means whether ‘Jesus’ is also ‘Christ’.
  10. Acts 18:17 That is, the matters raised by the Jews; or, the beating of Sosthenes; or, both.
  11. 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.
  12. Acts 18:19 That is, Priscilla and Aquila.
  13. Acts 18:19 That is, in Ephesus, to prepare for Paul’s planned return, mentioned next.
  14. Acts 18:22 Thus Paul completes this second journey on which this church had sent him back in 15:40.
  15. 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.
  16. Acts 18:23 Or, the Galatian and Phrygian region, referring to one region instead of two, as in 16:6.
  17. Acts 18:28 Or, forcefully.

18 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

15 But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.

17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;

21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.