Founding the Corinthian Church
1After this, he18:1 Other mss read Paul left Athens and went to Corinth,18:1 Ac 17:15; 19:1; 1Co 1:2; 2Co 1:1,23; 2Tm 4:20
2where he found a Jew named Aquila,18:2 Ac 18:18,26; Rm 16:3–5; 1Co 16:19; 2Tm 4:19 a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them,
5When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself to preaching the word18:5 Other mss read was urged by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.18:5 Jb 32:18; Ac 15:22; 16:1,9; 17:3,14–15; 18:28; 1Th 3:6
6When they resisted and blasphemed,18:6 Ac 13:45; Rm 3:8; 1Co 4:13; Ti 3:2 he shook out his clothes18:6 Neh 5:13; Mt 10:14; Ac 13:51 and told them, “Your blood is on your own heads!18:6 2Sm 1:16; Ezk 18:13; 33:4; Mt 27:25 I am innocent.18:6 Lit clean From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”18:6 Ezk 3:18; Ac 13:46
7So he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
9The Lord said to Paul in a night vision, “Don’t be afraid, but keep on speaking and don’t be silent.
10For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.”18:9–10 Mt 28:20; Ac 23:11
11He stayed there a year and a half, teaching the word of God among them.
12While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack against Paul and brought him to the tribunal.18:12 Ac 13:7; 18:27
13“This man,” they said, “is persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”
14As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or of a serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews.
15But if these are questions about words, names, and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”18:15 Ac 23:29; 25:11,19
16So he drove them from the tribunal.
The Return Trip to Antioch
18After staying for some time, Paul said farewell to the brothers and sisters and sailed away to Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken.18:18 Nm 6:2,5,9,18; Ac 21:24; Rm 16:1
19When they reached Ephesus18:19 Ac 19:1; 20:16; 1Co 15:32; 1Tm 1:3; 2Tm 1:18 he left them there, but he himself entered the synagogue and debated with the Jews.
20When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he declined,
The Eloquent Apollos
24Now a Jew named Apollos,18:24 Ac 19:1; 1Co 1:12; 3:5; 4:6; 16:12; Ti 3:13 a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus.
25He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit,18:25 Or in the Spirit he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism.18:25 Lk 7:29; Ac 9:2; 19:3; Rm 12:11
26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside18:26 Lit they received him and explained the way of God to him more accurately.18:26 Mt 2:8; Lk 1:3; Ac 18:25; 23:15,20; 24:22; Eph 5:15; 1Th 5:2
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