Paul in Corinth

18 ·Later [^LAfter this] Paul left Athens and went to Corinth [^Ca city about thirty miles southwest of Athens]. ² Here he ·met [^Lfound] a Jew named Aquila ·who had been born in [or whose family was from; a native of] the country of Pontus [^Ca province just south of the Black Sea in northeast Asia Minor]. But Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, had recently moved to Corinth from Italy, because Claudius [^CRoman emperor from ad 41–54] commanded that all Jews must leave Rome [^Can edict issued in ad 49 because of rioting, perhaps between Jews and Jewish Christians]. Paul ·went to visit [or came in contact with; or approached] Aquila and Priscilla. ³ [^LAnd] Because they were ·tentmakers [or leatherworkers], just as he was, he stayed with them and worked with them. ⁴ Every Sabbath day he ·talked [reasoned; argued] with the Jews and Greeks in the synagogue, trying ·to persuade them to believe in Jesus [^Lto persuade them].

⁵ Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia [^Cthe northern region of Greece] and joined Paul in Corinth. After this, Paul ·spent all his time telling people the Good News [^Ldevoted himself to (preaching) the word], ·showing [testifying to] the Jews that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah; 17:3]. ⁶ But they ·would not accept Paul’s teaching [^Lopposed/resisted him] and ·said some evil things [or reviled him; or blasphemed; 13:45]. So he shook off the dust from his clothes [^Ca sign of protest and that he was done with them, leaving them to God’s judgment; 13:51] and said to them, “·If you are not saved, it will be your own fault [^LYour blood is on your heads]! ·I have done all I can do [or My conscience is clear; ^LI am innocent/pure]! ·After this [From now on], I will go to ·other nations [the Gentiles].” ⁷ Paul left ·the synagogue [^Lthere] and moved into the home of a man named Titius Justus, next to the synagogue. This man worshiped God [^Ca Gentile “God-fearer,” who worshiped the true God of Israel; 10:2; 13:43; 17:4]. ⁸ Crispus was the ·leader [official] of that synagogue, and he and all the people ·living in his house [of his household] believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also listened to Paul and believed and were baptized.

⁹ During the night, the Lord told Paul in a vision [10:9–16; 16:9–10]: “Don’t be afraid. ·Continue talking to people [Speak out] and don’t be ·quiet [silent]. ¹⁰ [^LFor] I am with you, and no one will [^Llay a hand on you to] ·hurt [or do evil to] you because many of my people are in this city [Deut. 31:6; Josh. 1:5; Is. 41:10; 43:5; Jer. 1:7–9].” ¹¹ Paul stayed there [^Cin Corinth] for a year and a half, teaching God’s word to the people.

Paul Is Brought Before Gallio

¹² When Gallio was the ·governor [^Lproconsul; ^Cfrom ad 51 to 52] of Achaia [^Ca Roman province in present-day southern Greece], ·some people [^Lthe Jews] ·came together [made a united attack] against Paul and took him to the ·court [tribunal; judgment seat]. ¹³ They said, “This man is ·teaching [^Lpersuading] people to worship God in a way that is against our law.”

¹⁴ Paul was about to ·say something [^Lopen his mouth], but Gallio spoke [^Lto the Jews], saying, “I would [^Lreasonably; justifiably] listen to you [^LO Jews,] if you were complaining about a crime or some ·wrong [evil wrongdoing; moral evil]. ¹⁵ But the things you are saying are only questions about words and names [^Cthe debate over whether Jesus is the Messiah]—arguments about your own law. ·So you must solve this problem [^LSee to it] yourselves. I don’t want to be a judge of these things.” ¹⁶ And ·Gallio [^Lhe] ·made them leave [threw them out of] the ·court [tribunal; judgment seat].

¹⁷ Then they^[a] [^Cprobably Greeks, using the opportunity to vent their dislike for the Jewish population; less likely, the Jews, angry at Sosthenes for losing the case] all grabbed Sosthenes [^Cperhaps the person mentioned in 1 Cor. 1:1], the ·leader [official] of the synagogue, and beat him there before the ·court [tribunal; judgment seat]. But this ·did not bother [was of no concern to; was ignored by] Gallio.

Paul Returns to Antioch

¹⁸ Paul stayed with the ·believers [^Lbrothers (and sisters)] for many more days. Then he ·left [said farewell] and sailed for Syria, with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchrea [^Ca port city east of Corinth] Paul cut off his hair [^Ca ritual sometimes performed when a promise was accomplished; perhaps this was a Nazirite vow; Num. 6:1–21], because he had made a ·promise to God [^Lvow]. ¹⁹ Then they went to Ephesus [^Ca major city across the Aegean Sea in western Asia Minor], where Paul left ·Priscilla and Aquila [^Lthem]. While Paul was there, he went into the synagogue and talked [or argued; reasoned] with the ·people [^LJews]. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay with them longer, he ·refused [declined]. ²¹ But as he ·left [said farewell], he said, “I will come back to you again if God ·wants me to [wills].” And so he sailed away from Ephesus.

²² When Paul landed at Caesarea [^Ca port city to the west of Jerusalem on the Mediterranean], he went [^Lup] and gave greetings to the ·church in Jerusalem [^Lthe church; ^Cthe Greek does not mention Jerusalem, but going “up” implies the church in Jerusalem; less likely, it could be the church in Caesarea]. After that, Paul went [^Ldown] to Antioch [^Cin Syria; the church that sent Paul out]. ²³ He stayed there for a while and then left and went through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia [^Cregions in north central Asia Minor; 16:6]. ·He traveled from town to town in these regions […traveling from place to place; ^L…passing through sequentially], ·giving strength to [building up; encouraging; 15:41] all the ·followers [disciples].

Apollos in Ephesus and Corinth

²⁴ [^LNow; Meanwhile] A Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was ·born in the city [a native] of Alexandria and was ·a good speaker [or a learned man] who ·knew the Scriptures well [^Lwas powerful/competent in the Scriptures]. ²⁵ He had been taught about the ·way [or Way; 9:2] of the Lord and was always ·very excited [enthusiastic; ^Lfervent in spirit] when he spoke and taught ·the truth [^Laccurately the things] about Jesus. But the only baptism Apollos knew about was the baptism that John [^Cthe Baptist] taught [^Cbaptism of repentance before the ministry of Jesus began; Luke 3]. ²⁶ Apollos began to speak ·very boldly [confidently; fearlessly] in the synagogue, and when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they ·took him to their home [or took him aside; ^Lreceived/took him] and ·helped him better understand [explained more accurately/precisely] the ·way [or Way; 9:2] of God. ²⁷ Now Apollos wanted to ·go [cross over] to Achaia [v. 12]. So the ·believers [^Lbrothers (and sisters)] ·helped [encouraged] him and wrote a letter to the ·followers [disciples] there, asking them to ·accept [welcome] him. ·When Apollos arrived, he was a great help to those who, by God’s grace, had believed in Jesus [or When Apollos arrived, by God’s grace he was a great help…]. ²⁸ [^LFor] He ·argued very strongly with [vigorously refuted] the Jews ·before all the people [^Lin public (debate)], clearly ·proving [or showing] with the Scriptures that Jesus is the ·Christ [Messiah; 17:3; 18:5].