Acts 18
In Corinth
1After these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth.
2He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,
3and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.
4He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
5When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
6When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”
7He departed there and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
8Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.
9The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent;
10for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
11He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,
13saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”
14But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you;
15but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”
16So he drove them from the judgment seat.
17Then all the Greeks seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn’t care about any of these things.
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
18Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow.
19He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20When they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined;
21but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.
22When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.
23Having spent some time there, he departed and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
24Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures.
25This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning 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 more accurately.
27When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him; and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
28for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
Paul establishes a significant ministry in Corinth, working alongside the tentmaker couple Priscilla and Aquila while preaching in the synagogue and later focusing on Gentile outreach. Despite Jewish opposition that leads to a trial before Proconsul Gallio, Paul receives divine encouragement to continue his work and remains in Corinth for eighteen months. The chapter concludes with Paul's departure and the introduction of Apollos, an eloquent teacher who receives further instruction from Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.
Context
This chapter continues Paul's second missionary journey from Athens and establishes the foundation for his later extensive correspondence with the Corinthian church.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-3Paul Arrives in CorinthPaul meets Priscilla and Aquila, fellow tentmakers recently expelled from Rome under Claudius.
- 4-8Ministry in the SynagoguePaul preaches to Jews and Greeks, then shifts focus to Gentiles after opposition, seeing many conversions including synagogue ruler Crispus.
- 9-11Divine EncouragementThe Lord appears to Paul in a vision, promising protection and revealing many people in the city, leading to an extended eighteen-month ministry.
- 12-17Trial Before GallioJewish leaders bring Paul before the Roman proconsul, who dismisses the case as an internal religious dispute.
- 18-23Paul's Departure and JourneyPaul leaves Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila, travels through Ephesus and Caesarea, and returns to Antioch before beginning another missionary journey.
- 24-28Apollos in EphesusAn eloquent Alexandrian teacher receives more complete instruction from Priscilla and Aquila, then ministers effectively in Achaia.
In Corinth
18:1–18:17Paul arrives in Corinth, works with Aquila and Priscilla as tentmakers, preaches in the synagogue, and faces opposition from Jews but receives divine encouragement and protection through a vision from the Lord.
person_contrast
Paul's divine vision promising protection ("Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent") uniquely combines God's encouragement with explicit safety assurance, appearing nowhere else in Acts.
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
18:18–18:28Paul continues his missionary journey through various regions, while Priscilla and Aquila mentor Apollos, an eloquent teacher who powerfully demonstrates from Scripture that Jesus is the Christ.
person_contrast
Paul's unusual vow-shaving at Cenchreae marks one of only two instances where he performs Jewish ritual observances during his missionary journeys, suggesting strategic cultural accommodation.
Acts 18:2
Acts 13:6lexicalWhen they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Ba…
Acts 16:1lexicalHe came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed,…
Acts 18:4
Acts 14:1lexicalIn Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and o…
Acts 19:8lexicalHe entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things c…
Acts 20:7lexicalOn the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending…
Acts 17:17lexicalSo he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who me…
Acts 17:4lexicalSome of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chie…
Acts 18:5
Acts 17:14lexicalThen the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.
Acts 17:10lexicalThe brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synag…
Acts 17:15lexicalBut those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should…
Acts 17:4lexicalSome of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chie…
Acts 20:21lexicaltestifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.
Acts 18:8
Mark 5:38lexicalHe came to the synagogue ruler’s house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing.
1 Corinthians 1:14lexicalI thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
Acts 10:22lexicalThey said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the J…
1 Corinthians 16:19lexicalThe assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, together with the assembly that is…
Acts 10:2lexicala devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and alwa…
Acts 18:11
James 5:17lexicalElijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the eart…
Luke 4:25lexicalBut truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and s…
Galatians 4:10lexicalYou observe days, months, seasons, and years.
Revelation 9:15lexicalThe four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one t…
Acts 18:12
Acts 25:6lexicalWhen he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment s…
Acts 25:10lexicalBut Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews…
Acts 18:14
Acts 27:21lexicalWhen they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to m…
Acts 1:1lexicalThe first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
Acts 19:13lexicalBut some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of…
Acts 25:4lexicalHowever Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly…
Matthew 12:32lexicalWhoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it wi…
Acts 18:15
James 1:18lexicalOf his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
Titus 3:8lexicalThis saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you insist confidently, so that those who have believ…
Acts 18:18
Acts 15:22lexicalThen it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and sen…
2 Corinthians 1:1lexicalPaul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Co…
Acts 24:24lexicalAfter some days, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him concerning the fai…
Acts 21:26lexicalThen Paul took the men, and the next day purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment…
Acts 18:22
Acts 12:19lexicalWhen Herod had sought for him and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, then commanded that they should be put to dea…
Acts 11:27lexicalNow in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
Acts 18:24
Acts 16:1lexicalHe came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed,…
Acts 19:17lexicalThis became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Je…
Acts 19:1lexicalWhile Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples…
Acts 18:25
Acts 21:21lexicalThey have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them…
Acts 26:26lexicalFor the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden…
Matthew 22:16lexicalThey sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the…
Mark 12:14lexicalWhen they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t par…
Acts 18:26
Acts 9:2lexicaland asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or w…
Mark 6:2lexicalWhen the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did…
Acts 11:4lexicalBut Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying,
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter