Acts 18

Paul at Corinth

18:1 After this1 Paul2 departed from3 Athens4 and went to Corinth.5 18:2 There he6 found7 a Jew named Aquila,8 a native of Pontus,9 who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius10 had ordered all the Jews to depart from11 Rome.12 Paul approached13 them, 18:3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them14 (for they were tentmakers15 by trade).16 18:4 He addressed17 both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue18 every Sabbath, attempting to persuade19 them.

18:5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived20 from Macedonia,21 Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming22 the word, testifying23 to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.24 18:6 When they opposed him25 and reviled him,26 he protested by shaking out his clothes27 and said to them, “Your blood28 be on your own heads! I am guiltless!29 From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 18:7 Then Paul30 left31 the synagogue32 and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God,33 whose house was next door to the synagogue. 18:8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue,34 believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it35 believed and were baptized. 18:9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision36 in the night,37 “Do not be afraid,38 but speak and do not be silent, 18:10 because I am with you, and no one will assault39 you to harm40 you, because I have many people in this city.” 18:11 So he stayed there41 a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.42

Paul Before the Proconsul Gallio

18:12 Now while Gallio43 was proconsul44 of Achaia,45 the Jews attacked Paul together46 and brought him before the judgment seat,47 18:13 saying, “This man is persuading48 people to worship God in a way contrary to49 the law!” 18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak,50 Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy,51 I would have been justified in accepting the complaint52 of you Jews,53 18:15 but since it concerns points of disagreement54 about words and names and your own law, settle55 it yourselves. I will not be56 a judge of these things!” 18:16 Then he had them forced away57 from the judgment seat.58 18:17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue,59 and began to beat60 him in front of the judgment seat.61 Yet none of these things were of any concern62 to Gallio.

Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria

18:18 Paul, after staying63 many more days in Corinth,64 said farewell to65 the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by66 Priscilla and Aquila.67 He68 had his hair cut off69 at Cenchrea70 because he had made a vow.71 18:19 When they reached Ephesus,72 Paul73 left Priscilla and Aquila74 behind there, but he himself went75 into the synagogue76 and addressed77 the Jews. 18:20 When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent,78 18:21 but said farewell to79 them and added,80 “I will come back81 to you again if God wills.”82 Then83 he set sail from Ephesus, 18:22 and when he arrived84 at Caesarea,85 he went up and greeted86 the church at Jerusalem87 and then went down to Antioch.88 18:23 After he spent89 some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia90 and Phrygia,91 strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Begins His Ministry

18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus.92 He was an eloquent speaker,93 well-versed94 in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in95 the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm96 he spoke and taught accurately the facts97 about Jesus, although he knew98 only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly99 in the synagogue,100 but when Priscilla and Aquila101 heard him, they took him aside102 and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 18:27 When Apollos103 wanted to cross over to Achaia,104 the brothers encouraged105 him106 and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he107 assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 18:28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously108 in public debate,109 demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ110 was Jesus.111

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