Acts 18
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
In Corinth Paul Teaches The Gentiles For 18 Months
18 After these things, having departed from Athens, he went to Corinth. 2 And having found a certain Jew— Aquila by name, a Pontian by nationality, having recently come from Italy because Claudius[a] had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome— and Priscilla his wife, he went to them. 3 And because of being the same-trade, he was staying with them and working— for they were tent-makers by trade. 4 And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuading Jews and Greeks. 5 But when both Silas and Timothy came[b] down from Macedonia, Paul was occupying-himself with the word[c], solemnly-testifying to the Jews that the Christ is Jesus. 6 But while they were opposing and blaspheming, he said to them, having shaken-out his garments, “Your blood be upon your head; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles”. 7 And having passed on from there, he entered into the house of a certain one worshiping God—Titius Justus by name— whose house was bordering[d] on the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the synagogue-official, believed in the Lord with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians hearing were believing and being baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul during the night through a vision, “Do not be afraid, but be speaking and do not be silent— 10 because I am with you, and no one will set-upon you to harm you; because there is a large people for Me in this city”. 11 And he sat for a year and six months[e], teaching the word of God among them.
Paul Is Brought Before The Proconsul By The Jews. Gallio Refuses To Intervene
12 Now while Gallio[f] was being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with-one-accord rose-up-against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat, 13 saying that “This one is persuading[g] people to worship God contrary to the Law”. 14 And Paul being about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were some crime or evil villainy, O Jews, I would have borne-with you in accordance with reason— 15 but since it is issues about talk[h] and names[i] and your Law, see to it yourselves. I am not willing to be a judge of these things”. 16 And he drove them away from the judgment-seat. 17 And having all taken-hold-of Sosthenes, the synagogue-official, they were striking him in front of the judgment seat. And none of these[j] things was-a-concern to Gallio.
In Ephesus, Paul Prepares Them For a Future Visit And Then Returns Home To Antioch
18 And Paul, having stayed-on considerable days longer, having said-good-bye to the brothers, was sailing-off to Syria— and Priscilla and Aquila with him— having sheared his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow[k]. 19 And they came to Ephesus. And those[l] ones he left-behind there[m]. And he himself, having entered into the synagogue, reasoned with the Jews. 20 And while they were asking him to stay for more time, he did not consent. 21 But having said-goodbye, and having said, “I will return again to you, God willing”, he put-to-sea from Ephesus. 22 And having come down to Caesarea, having gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch[n].
Paul Embarks On a Third Journey. Priscilla And Aquila Update Apollos
23 And having done some time there, he went forth[o], going successively through the Galatian region[p] and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 24 Now a certain Jew— Apollos by name, an Alexandrian by nationality, an eloquent man— came to Ephesus, being powerful in the Scriptures. 25 This one had been instructed as to the way of the Lord. And boiling in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing-about only the baptism of John. 26 And this one began to speak-boldly in the synagogue. And having heard him, Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and explained the way of God to him more-accurately. 27 And he wanting to go to Achaia, the brothers, having urged him forward, wrote to the disciples to welcome him; who, having arrived, greatly helped the ones having believed through grace. 28 For he was vigorously[q] refuting the Jews in public, showing through the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus.
Footnotes
- Acts 18:2 He was Roman emperor from a.d. 41-54. The event named here may refer to an incident in a.d. 49.
- Acts 18:5 At this point Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians (1Thes 3:6). Some think he wrote Galatians during this stay in Corinth (see 14:28).
- Acts 18:5 Some manuscripts instead say ‘Paul was compelled by the Spirit’.
- Acts 18:7 Or, adjacent to.
- Acts 18:11 During this period between Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians.
- Acts 18:12 Junius Gallio, the brother of Seneca the philosopher, was the Roman proconsul (governor) of Achaia in a.d. 51-52.
- Acts 18:13 Or more negatively, inducing.
- Acts 18:15 That is, as opposed to deeds. Or, a word, a message.
- Acts 18:15 Perhaps Gallio means whether ‘Jesus’ is also ‘Christ’.
- Acts 18:17 That is, the matters raised by the Jews; or, the beating of Sosthenes; or, both.
- Acts 18:18 Or, prayer. As a result of an answered prayer or vow, probably with regard to his just completed work in Corinth, Paul cut off his hair, a Jewish custom.
- Acts 18:19 That is, Priscilla and Aquila.
- Acts 18:19 That is, in Ephesus, to prepare for Paul’s planned return, mentioned next.
- Acts 18:22 Thus Paul completes this second journey on which this church had sent him back in 15:40.
- Acts 18:23 Note that the church is not mentioned this time. Paul is returning to the base of operations in Ephesus in Asia which he has already chosen and prepared in v 19.
- Acts 18:23 Or, the Galatian and Phrygian region, referring to one region instead of two, as in 16:6.
- Acts 18:28 Or, forcefully.
Acts 18
Common English Bible
Paul in Corinth
18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus. He had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul visited with them. 3 Because they practiced the same trade, he stayed and worked with them. They all worked with leather. 4 Every Sabbath he interacted with people in the synagogue, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks. 5 Once Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 When they opposed and slandered him, he shook the dust from his clothes in protest and said to them, “You are responsible for your own fates! I’m innocent! From now on I’ll go to the Gentiles!” 7 He left the synagogue and went next door to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile God-worshipper. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household came to believe in the Lord. Many Corinthians believed and were baptized after listening to Paul.
9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Don’t be afraid. Continue speaking. Don’t be silent. 10 I’m with you and no one who attacks you will harm you, for I have many people in this city.” 11 So he stayed there for eighteen months, teaching God’s word among them.
12 Now when Gallio was the governor of the province of Achaia, the Jews united in their opposition against Paul and brought him before the court. 13 “This man is persuading others to worship God unlawfully,” they declared.
14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If there had been some sort of injury or criminal behavior, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 However, since these are squabbles about a message, names, and your own Law, deal with them yourselves. I have no desire to sit in judgment over such things.” 16 He expelled them from the court, 17 but everyone seized Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and gave him a beating in the presence of the governor. None of this mattered to Gallio.
18 After Paul stayed in Corinth for some time, he said good-bye to the brothers and sisters. At the Corinthian seaport of Cenchreae he had his head shaved, since he had made a solemn promise. Then, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila, he sailed away to Syria. 19 After they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila and entered the synagogue and interacted with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. 21 As he said farewell to them, though, he added, “God willing, I will return.” Then he sailed off from Ephesus. 22 He arrived in Caesarea, went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch.
23 After some time there he left and traveled from place to place in the region of Galatia and the district of Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Apollos and his ministry
24 Meanwhile, a certain Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria and was well-educated and effective in his use of the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and spoke as one stirred up by the Spirit. He taught accurately the things about Jesus, even though he was aware only of the baptism John proclaimed and practiced. 26 He began speaking with confidence in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they received him into their circle of friends and explained to him God’s way more accurately. 27 When he wanted to travel to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples so they would open their homes to him. Once he arrived, he was of great help to those who had come to believe through grace. 28 He would vigorously defeat Jewish arguments in public debate, using the scriptures to prove that Jesus was the Christ.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible