Atos 18
Almeida Revista e Corrigida 2009
Paulo em Corinto e em Éfeso. Volta para Jerusalém
18 Depois disto, partiu Paulo de Atenas e chegou a Corinto. 2 E, achando um certo judeu por nome Áquila, natural do Ponto, que havia pouco tinha vindo da Itália, e Priscila, sua mulher (pois Cláudio tinha mandado que todos os judeus saíssem de Roma), se ajuntou com eles, 3 e, como era do mesmo ofício, ficou com eles, e trabalhava; pois tinham por ofício fazer tendas. 4 E todos os sábados disputava na sinagoga e convencia a judeus e gregos.
5 Quando Silas e Timóteo desceram da Macedônia, foi Paulo impulsionado pela palavra, testificando aos judeus que Jesus era o Cristo. 6 Mas, resistindo e blasfemando eles, sacudiu as vestes e disse-lhes: O vosso sangue seja sobre a vossa cabeça; eu estou limpo e, desde agora, parto para os gentios. 7 E, saindo dali, entrou em casa de um homem chamado Tito Justo, que servia a Deus e cuja casa estava junto da sinagoga. 8 E Crispo, principal da sinagoga, creu no Senhor com toda a sua casa; também muitos dos coríntios, ouvindo-o, creram e foram batizados. 9 E disse o Senhor, em visão, a Paulo: Não temas, mas fala e não te cales; 10 porque eu sou contigo, e ninguém lançará mão de ti para te fazer mal, pois tenho muito povo nesta cidade. 11 E ficou ali um ano e seis meses, ensinando entre eles a palavra de Deus.
12 Mas, sendo Gálio procônsul da Acaia, levantaram-se os judeus concordemente contra Paulo e o levaram ao tribunal, 13 dizendo: Este persuade os homens a servir a Deus contra a lei. 14 E, querendo Paulo abrir a boca, disse Gálio aos judeus: Se houvesse, ó judeus, algum agravo ou crime enorme, com razão vos sofreria; 15 mas, se a questão é de palavras, e de nomes, e da lei que entre vós há, vede-o vós mesmos; porque eu não quero ser juiz dessas coisas! 16 E expulsou-os do tribunal. 17 Então, todos agarraram Sóstenes, principal da sinagoga, e o feriram diante do tribunal; porém, a Gálio nada destas coisas o incomodava.
18 E Paulo, ficando ainda ali muitos dias, despediu-se dos irmãos e dali navegou para a Síria e, com ele, Priscila e Áquila, tendo rapado a cabeça em Cencreia, porque tinha voto. 19 E chegou a Éfeso e deixou-os ali; mas ele, entrando na sinagoga, disputava com os judeus. 20 E, rogando-lhe eles que ficasse por mais algum tempo, não conveio nisso. 21 Antes, se despediu deles, dizendo: Querendo Deus, outra vez voltarei a vós. E partiu de Éfeso. 22 E, chegando a Cesareia, subiu a Jerusalém e, saudando a igreja, desceu a Antioquia. 23 E, estando ali algum tempo, partiu, passando sucessivamente pela província da Galácia e da Frígia, confirmando a todos os discípulos.
Apolo em Éfeso e em Corinto
24 E chegou a Éfeso um certo judeu chamado Apolo, natural de Alexandria, varão eloquente e poderoso nas Escrituras. 25 Este era instruído no caminho do Senhor; e, fervoroso de espírito, falava e ensinava diligentemente as coisas do Senhor, conhecendo somente o batismo de João. 26 Ele começou a falar ousadamente na sinagoga. Quando o ouviram Priscila e Áquila, o levaram consigo e lhe declararam mais pontualmente o caminho de Deus. 27 Querendo ele passar à Acaia, o animaram os irmãos e escreveram aos discípulos que o recebessem; o qual, tendo chegado, aproveitou muito aos que pela graça criam. 28 Porque com grande veemência convencia publicamente os judeus, mostrando pelas Escrituras que Jesus era o Cristo.
Acts 18
The Message
Corinth
18 1-4 After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.
5-6 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah. But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. “Have it your way, then,” he said. “You’ve made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I’m spending my time with the other nations.”
7-8 He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man who lived right next to the Jews’ meeting place. But Paul’s efforts with the Jews weren’t a total loss, for Crispus, the meeting-place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family believed with him.
8-11 In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized. One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: “Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.” That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.
12-13 But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court, and filed charges: “This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal.”
14-16 Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, “If this was a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out. But it sounds to me like one more Jewish squabble, another of your endless hairsplitting quarrels over religion. Take care of it on your own time. I can’t be bothered with this nonsense,” and he cleared them out of the courtroom.
17 Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting-place president, and beat him up in plain sight of the court. Gallio didn’t raise a finger. He could not have cared less.
Ephesus
18 Paul stayed a while longer in Corinth, but then it was time to take leave of his friends. Saying his good-byes, he sailed for Syria, Priscilla and Aquila with him. Before boarding the ship in the harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had taken.
19-21 They landed in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila got off and stayed. Paul left the ship briefly to go to the meeting place and preach to the Jews. They wanted him to stay longer, but he said he couldn’t. But after saying good-bye, he promised, “I’ll be back, God willing.”
21-22 From Ephesus he sailed to Caesarea. He greeted the church there, and then went on to Antioch, completing the journey.
23 After spending a considerable time with the Antioch Christians, Paul set off again for Galatia and Phrygia, retracing his old tracks, one town after another, putting fresh heart into the disciples.
24-26 A man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a Jew, born in Alexandria, Egypt, and a terrific speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures. He was well-educated in the way of the Master and fiery in his enthusiasm. Apollos was accurate in everything he taught about Jesus up to a point, but he only went as far as the baptism of John. He preached with power in the meeting place. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and told him the rest of the story.
27-28 When Apollos decided to go on to Achaia province, his Ephesian friends gave their blessing and wrote a letter of recommendation for him, urging the disciples there to welcome him with open arms. The welcome paid off: Apollos turned out to be a great help to those who had become believers through God’s immense generosity. He was particularly effective in public debate with the Jews as he brought out proof after convincing proof from the Scriptures that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah.
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