Paul in Corinth

18 After this, Paul^[a] left Athens and went to Corinth. ² There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul^[b] went to visit them, ³ and because they had the same trade he stayed with them. They worked together because they were tentmakers by trade. ⁴ Every Sabbath, he would speak in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. ⁵ But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to the word^[c] as he emphatically assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.^{[d] 6} But when they began to oppose him and insult him, he shook out his clothes in protest and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles.”

⁷ Then he left that place and went to the home of a man named Titius^[e] Justus, who worshipped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue. ⁸ Now Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, along with his whole family. Many Corinthians who heard Paul also believed and were baptized.

⁹ One night, the Lord told Paul in a vision, “Stop being afraid to speak out! Don’t remain silent! ¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you or harm you, because I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ So Paul^[f] lived there for a year and a half and continued to teach the word of God among the people there.^[g]

¹² While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jewish leaders^[h] gathered together, attacked Paul, and brought him before the judge’s seat. ¹³ They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the Law.”

¹⁴ Paul was about to speak when Gallio admonished the Jewish leaders,^[i] “If there were some misdemeanor or crime involved, it would be reasonable to put up with you Jews. ¹⁵ But since it is a question about words, names, and your own Law, you will have to take care of that yourselves. I refuse to be a judge in these matters.” ¹⁶ So he drove them away from the judge’s seat. ¹⁷ Then all of them^[j] took Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and began beating him in front of the judge’s seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

Paul’s Return Trip to Antioch

¹⁸ After staying there for quite a while longer, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut in Cenchrea, since he was under a vow. ¹⁹ When they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila^[k] there. Then he went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. ²⁰ They asked him to stay longer, but he refused. ²¹ As he told them goodbye, he said, “I will come back^[l] to you again if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. ²² When he arrived in Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem,^[m] greeted the church there, and then returned to Antioch. ²³ After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Preaches in Ephesus

²⁴ Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the Lord’s way, and with spiritual fervor he kept speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only about John’s baptism. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained God’s way to him more accurately. ²⁷ When Apollos^[n] wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples there, urging them to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who, through God’s^[o] grace, had believed. ²⁸ He successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.^[p]