TCNT ACTs Chapter 18

Paul in Corinth

18 After this, Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, of Pontus by birth, who had recently come from Italy along with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them, 3 and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and [fn]worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue and tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was [fn]compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when the Jews opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 So he moved on from there and went to the house of a man named [fn]Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent. 10 For I am with yoʋ, and no one will attack yoʋ to do yoʋ harm, for I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up with one accord against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God in a manner contrary to the law.” 14 But just as Paul was about to open his mouth to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or evil misdeed, O Jews, I would bear with you, as is reasonable. 15 But since it is a question about words, names, and your own law, see to it [fn]yourselves, for I do not want to be a judge of such things.” 16 So he drove them away from the judgment seat. 17 Then [fn]all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But none of these things were of any concern to Gallio.

Paul's Return to Antioch

18 After staying in Corinth for many more days, Paul took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. (Now he had shaved his head in Cenchreae because he was under a vow.) 19 When [fn]he arrived at Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay [fn]with them for a longer period of time, he declined. 21 However, as he took leave of them, he said, “[fn]I must by all means keep the coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return to you again, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he arrived at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well-versed in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. Being fervent in spirit, he spoke and accurately taught the facts about [fn]the Lord, though he knew only about the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when [fn]Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God in greater detail. 27 And when Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples, encouraging them to receive him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who had become believers through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.