¹² While Gallio was proconsul^(A) of Achaia,^(B) the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. ¹³ “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

¹⁴ Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. ¹⁵ But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law^(C)—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” ¹⁶ So he drove them off. ¹⁷ Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes^(D) the synagogue leader^(E) and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

¹⁸ Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters^(F) and sailed for Syria,^(G) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.^(H) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae^(I) because of a vow he had taken.^{(J) 19} They arrived at Ephesus,^(K) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. ²¹ But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”^(L) Then he set sail from Ephesus. ²² When he landed at Caesarea,^(M) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.^(N)

²³ After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia^(O) and Phrygia,^(P) strengthening all the disciples.^(Q)

²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,^(R) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.^(S) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor^[a](T) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.^{(U) 26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila^(V) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,^(W) the brothers and sisters^(X) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures^(Y) that Jesus was the Messiah.^(Z)

Paul in Ephesus

19 While Apollos^(A) was at Corinth,^(B) Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.^(C) There he found some disciples

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue^(A) and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.^{(B) 9} But some of them^(C) became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.^(D) So Paul left them. He took the disciples^(E) with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This went on for two years,^(F) so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia^(G) heard the word of the Lord.^(H)

¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles^(I) through Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured^(J) and the evil spirits left them.

¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits^(K) tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus^(L) whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

¹⁷ When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus,^(M) they were all seized with fear,^(N) and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. ¹⁸ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. ¹⁹ A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.^{[a] 20} In this way the word of the Lord^(O) spread widely and grew in power.^(P)

The Riot in Ephesus

²³ About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.^{(A) 24} A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.^{(B) 26} And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus^(C) and in practically the whole province of Asia.^(D) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.^{(E) 27} There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^{(F) 29} Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius^(G) and Aristarchus,^(H) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,^(I) and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples^(J) would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

³² The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.^(K) Most of the people did not even know why they were there. ³³ The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned^(L) for silence in order to make a defense before the people. ³⁴ But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^(M)

³⁵ The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians,^(N) doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? ³⁶ Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. ³⁷ You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples^(O) nor blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸ If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen^(P) have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.^(Q) They can press charges. ³⁹ If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰ As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” ⁴¹ After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Through Macedonia and Greece

20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples^(A) and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.^(B)

1 Paul, called to be an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) and our brother Sosthenes,^(C)

² To the church of God^(D) in Corinth,^(E) to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called^(F) to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name^(G) of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(H)

A Church Divided Over Leaders

¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a](A) in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you,^(B) but that you be perfectly united^(C) in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household^(D) have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”;^(E) another, “I follow Apollos”;^(F) another, “I follow Cephas^[b]”;^(G) still another, “I follow Christ.”

¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?^(H)

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(A) but as people who are still worldly^(B)—mere infants^(C) in Christ. ² I gave you milk, not solid food,^(D) for you were not yet ready for it.^(E) Indeed, you are still not ready. ³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(F) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”^(G) are you not mere human beings?

⁵ What, after all, is Apollos?^(H) And what is Paul? Only servants,^(I) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed,^(J) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^{(K) 9} For we are co-workers in God’s service;^(L) you are God’s field,^(M) God’s building.^(N)

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me,^(O) I laid a foundation^(P) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^(Q)

²¹ So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(A) All things are yours,^{(B) 22} whether Paul or Apollos^(C) or Cephas^[a](D) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(E)—all are yours, ²³ and you are of Christ,^(F) and Christ is of God.