Acts 18
New Living Translation
Paul Meets Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth
18 Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.[a] 2 There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. 3 Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers[b] just as he was.
4 Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. 5 And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”
7 Then he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
12 But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. 13 They accused Paul of “persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law.”
14 But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul’s accusers and said, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case. 15 But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish law, take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.” 16 And he threw them out of the courtroom.
17 The crowd[c] then grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention.
Paul Returns to Antioch of Syria
18 Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters[d] and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him.
19 They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. 21 As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later,[e] God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem[f] and then went back to Antioch.
23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.[g]
Apollos Instructed at Ephesus
24 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. 25 He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit[h] and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. 26 When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.
27 Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. 28 He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.
Footnotes
- 18:1 Athens and Corinth were major cities in Achaia, the region in the southern portion of the Greek peninsula.
- 18:3 Or leatherworkers.
- 18:17 Greek Everyone; other manuscripts read All the Greeks.
- 18:18 Greek brothers; also in 18:27.
- 18:21 Some manuscripts read “I must by all means be at Jerusalem for the upcoming festival, but I will come back later.”
- 18:22 Greek the church.
- 18:23 Greek disciples; also in 18:27.
- 18:25 Or with enthusiasm in the Spirit.
Acts 18
New American Standard Bible
Paul in Corinth
18 After these events Paul left (A)Athens and went to (B)Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named (C)Aquila, a native of (D)Pontus having recently come from (E)Italy with his wife (F)Priscilla, because (G)Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and (H)they worked together, for they were tent-makers by trade. 4 And Paul was reasoning (I)in the synagogue every (J)Sabbath and trying to persuade (K)Jews and Greeks.
5 But when (L)Silas and Timothy (M)came down from (N)Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, (O)testifying to the Jews that (P)Jesus was the [a]Christ. 6 But when they resisted and blasphemed, he (Q)shook out his garments and said to them, “Your (R)blood is [b]on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go (S)to the Gentiles.” 7 Then he left [c]the synagogue and went to the house of a man named [d]Titius Justus, (T)a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 (U)Crispus, (V)the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord (W)together with his entire household; and many of the (X)Corinthians, as they listened to Paul, were believing and being baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul by (Y)a vision at night, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 But while Gallio was (Z)proconsul of (AA)Achaia, (AB)the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before (AC)the [e]judgment seat, 13 saying, “This man is inciting the people to worship God contrary to (AD)the [f]law.” 14 But when Paul was about to (AE)open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or vicious, unscrupulous act, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; 15 but if there are [g](AF)questions about [h]teaching and [i]persons and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” 16 And he drove them away from (AG)the [j]judgment seat. 17 But they all took hold of (AH)Sosthenes, (AI)the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of (AJ)the judgment seat. And yet Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.
18 Now Paul, when he had remained many days longer, (AK)took leave of (AL)the brothers and sisters and sailed away to (AM)Syria, and (AN)Priscilla and (AO)Aquila were with him. [k]Paul first (AP)had his hair cut at (AQ)Cenchrea, for he was keeping a vow. 19 They came to (AR)Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered (AS)the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, 21 but (AT)took leave of them and said, “I will return to you again (AU)if God wills,” and he set sail from (AV)Ephesus.
22 When he had landed in (AW)Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and went down to (AX)Antioch.
Third Missionary Journey
23 And after spending some time there, he left and passed successively through the (AY)Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Now a Jew named (AZ)Apollos, an (BA)Alexandrian by birth, [l]an eloquent man, came to (BB)Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in (BC)the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with (BD)the baptism of John; 26 and [m]he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when (BE)Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained (BF)the way of God more accurately to him. 27 And when he wanted to go across to (BG)Achaia, (BH)the brothers encouraged him and wrote to (BI)the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly [n]helped those who had believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating (BJ)by the Scriptures that (BK)Jesus was the [o]Christ.
Footnotes
- Acts 18:5 I.e., Messiah
- Acts 18:6 I.e., the responsibility is all yours
- Acts 18:7 Lit from there
- Acts 18:7 One early ms Titus
- Acts 18:12 Or tribunal
- Acts 18:13 Or Law
- Acts 18:15 Or arguments
- Acts 18:15 Lit word
- Acts 18:15 Lit names
- Acts 18:16 Or tribunal
- Acts 18:18 Lit Having had his hair cut
- Acts 18:24 Or a learned man
- Acts 18:26 Lit this man
- Acts 18:27 Or helped greatly through grace those who had believed
- Acts 18:28 I.e., Messiah
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
