Acts 18
18
Paul in Corinth. 1After this he left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew named Aquila,#Rom 16:3. a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla#Aquila…Priscilla: both may already have been Christians at the time of their arrival in Corinth (see Acts 18:26). According to 1 Cor 16:19, their home became a meeting place for Christians. Claudius: the Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome ca. A.D. 49. The Roman historian Suetonius gives as reason for the expulsion disturbances among the Jews “at the instigation of Chrestos,” probably meaning disputes about the messiahship of Jesus. because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them 3and, because he practiced the same trade, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4Every sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks.
5When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. 6When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments#Shook out his garments: a gesture indicating Paul’s repudiation of his mission to the Jews there; cf. Acts 28:17–31. and said to them, “Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”#13:51; Mt 10:14; 27:24–25; Mk 6:11; Lk 9:5; 10:10–11. 7So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God;#A worshiper of God: see note on Acts 8:26–40. his house was next to a synagogue.#13:46–47; 28:28. 8Crispus,#Crispus: in 1 Cor 1:14 Paul mentions that Crispus was one of the few he himself baptized at Corinth. the synagogue official,#1 Cor 1:14. came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized. 9#Jer 1:8. One night in a vision the Lord said to Paul, “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, 10for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city.” 11He settled there for a year and a half and taught the word of God among them.
Accusations Before Gallio. 12But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,#When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia: Gallio’s proconsulship in Achaia is dated to A.D. 51–52 from an inscription discovered at Delphi. This has become an important date in establishing a chronology of the life and missionary work of Paul. the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him to the tribunal, 13saying, “This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law.”#Contrary to the law: Gallio (Acts 18:15) understands this to be a problem of Jewish, not Roman, law. 14When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud, I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews; 15but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of such matters.” 16And he drove them away from the tribunal. 17They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official, and beat him in full view of the tribunal. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
Return to Syrian Antioch. 18Paul remained for quite some time, and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut#21:24; Nm 6:18. because he had taken a vow.#He had his hair cut because he had taken a vow: a reference to a Nazirite vow (see Nm 6:1–21, especially Nm 6:18) taken by Paul (see also Acts 21:23–27). 19When they reached Ephesus, he left them there, while he entered the synagogue and held discussions with the Jews. 20Although they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, 21but as he said farewell he promised, “I shall come back to you again, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22Upon landing at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church#He went up and greeted the church: “going up” suggests a visit to the church in Jerusalem. and then went down to Antioch. 23#18:23–21:16] Luke’s account of Paul’s third missionary journey devotes itself mainly to his work at Ephesus (Acts 19:1–20:1). There is a certain restiveness on Paul’s part and a growing conviction that the Spirit bids him return to Jerusalem and prepare to go to Rome (Acts 19:21). After staying there some time, he left and traveled in orderly sequence through the Galatian country and Phrygia, bringing strength to all the disciples.
Apollos. 24A Jew named Apollos,#1 Cor 1:12. a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus. He was an authority on the scriptures.#Apollos appears as a preacher who knows the teaching of Jesus in the context of John’s baptism of repentance. Aquila and Priscilla instruct him more fully. He is referred to in 1 Cor 1:12; 3:5–6, 22. 25He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and, with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way [of God]#The Way [of God]: for the Way, see note on Acts 9:2. Other manuscripts here read “the Way of the Lord,” “the word of the Lord,” or simply “the Way.” more accurately. 27And when he wanted to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. After his arrival he gave great assistance to those who had come to believe through grace. 28He vigorously refuted the Jews in public, establishing from the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Acts 18
18
Paul Goes to Corinth
1After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew named Aquila, who was a native of Pontus. Aquila had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla. The emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and Priscilla. 3They were tentmakers, just as he was. So he stayed and worked with them. 4Every Sabbath day he went to the synagogue. He was trying to get both Jews and Greeks to believe in the Lord.
5Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia. Then Paul spent all his time preaching. He was a witness to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6But they opposed Paul. They treated him badly. So he shook out his clothes in protest. Then he said to them, “God’s judgment against you will be your own fault! Don’t blame me for it! From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house next door. It was the house of Titius Justus, a man who worshiped God. 8Crispus was the synagogue leader. He and everyone living in his house came to believe in the Lord. Many others who lived in Corinth heard Paul. They too believed and were baptized.
9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Keep on speaking. Don’t be silent. 10I am with you. No one will attack you and harm you. I have many people in this city.” 11So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half. He taught them God’s word.
12At that time Gallio was governor of Achaia. The Jews of Corinth got together and attacked Paul. They brought him into court. 13They made a charge against Paul. They said, “This man is talking people into worshiping God in wrong ways. Those ways are against the law.”
14Paul was about to give reasons for his actions. But just then Gallio spoke to them. He said, “You Jews don’t claim that Paul has committed a great or small crime. If you did, it would make sense for me to listen to you. 15But this is about your own law. It is a question of words and names. Settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16So he made them leave. 17Then the crowd there turned against Sosthenes, the synagogue leader. They beat him up in front of the governor. But Gallio didn’t care at all.
Priscilla and Aquila Teach Apollos
18Paul stayed in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae. He did this because he had made a promise to God. 19They arrived at Ephesus. There Paul said goodbye to Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and talked with the Jews. 20The Jews asked him to spend more time with them. But he said no. 21As he left, he made them a promise. “If God wants me to,” he said, “I will come back.” Then he sailed from Ephesus. 22When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem. There he greeted the church. He then went down to Antioch.
23Paul spent some time in Antioch. Then he left and traveled all over Galatia and Phrygia. He gave strength to all the believers there.
24At that time a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was an educated man from Alexandria. He knew the Scriptures very well. 25Apollos had been taught the way of the Lord. He spoke with great power. He taught the truth about Jesus. But he only knew about John’s baptism. 26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Priscilla and Aquila heard him. So they invited him to their home. There they gave him a better understanding of the way of God.
27Apollos wanted to go to Achaia. The brothers and sisters agreed with him. They wrote to the believers there. They asked them to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who had become believers by God’s grace. 28In public meetings, he argued strongly against Jews who disagreed with him. He proved from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
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