Acts
Chapter 18
1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
2 They met a Jew named Aquila from Pontus, who had just arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla. This was after Emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. They went to see them.
3 Because he had the same job, he stayed with them and worked, since they were all tentmakers by trade.
4 He discussed in the meeting place every Saturday, convincing both the Jews and the non-Jews.
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was deeply moved and told the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
6 When they argued and said disrespectful things about God, he shook his clothes and told them, “Your actions are your own responsibility; I am not guilty. From now on, I will go to non-Jewish people.”
7 He left that place and went into the house of a man named Justus, who worshiped God, and his house was right next to the synagogue.
8 Crispus, the main leader of the synagogue, believed in God with his whole family; and many people in Corinth, after listening, also believed and were baptized.
9 One night God spoke to Paul in a dream, “Don’t be scared, but talk and don’t stop speaking.”
10 I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.
11 He stayed there one and a half years, sharing God’s message with them.
12 When Gallio was the governor of Achaia, the Jews united against Paul and took him to the court.
13 He is saying, “This man is convincing people to worship God in a way that is against the law.”
14 When Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If this were a case of crime or bad behavior, Jews, it would make sense for me to listen to you.
15 If it’s about words, names, and your law, you handle it; I won’t judge these things.
16 He forced them away from the judge’s bench.
17 Then all the Greeks grabbed Sosthenes, the head of the synagogue, and hit him in front of the judge’s bench. But Gallio did not care about any of those things.
18 Paul stayed there for a long time, then said goodbye to the brothers, sailed to Syria with Priscilla and Aquila, and he cut his hair at Cenchrea because of a promise.
19 He went to Ephesus, left them there, but went into the synagogue and talked with the Jews.
20 When they asked him to stay longer with them, he did not agree.
21 He said goodbye, telling them, “I really must celebrate this upcoming festival in Jerusalem: but I plan to come back to you, if God allows.” Then he left from Ephesus.
22 When he arrived at Caesarea, after going up to greet the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 After staying there for a while, he left and traveled through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, encouraging all the followers.
24 A Jewish man named Apollos, from Alexandria, who was an excellent speaker and very knowledgeable in the scriptures, went to Ephesus.
25 This man learned about God’s way; he was passionate, and he talked and taught about God’s teachings with care, knowing only John’s baptism.
26 He started to speak confidently in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they welcomed him and explained God’s way to him more clearly.
27 When he wanted to go to Achaia, the believers sent letters asking the followers there to welcome him. When he arrived, he helped those who through God’s kindness had believed a lot.
28 He strongly persuaded the Jews in public, using the scriptures to show that Jesus was the Messiah.