Acts — Chapter 18

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1After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

2And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

3And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

4And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

5And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

6And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

7And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

8And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

9Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

10For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

11And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

13Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

14And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

15But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

16And he drave them from the judgment seat.

17Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

18And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

19And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

20When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;

21But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

22And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

23And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

24And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

26And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

27And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

28For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

1After these things he departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.

2And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome: and he came unto them;

3and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought, for by their trade they were tentmakers.

4And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

5But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

6And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood [be] upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

7And he departed thence, and went into the house of a certain man named Titus Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

8And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

9And the Lord said unto Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace:

10for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee: for I have much people in this city.

11And he dwelt [there] a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat,

13saying, This man persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

14But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked villany, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

15but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.

16And he drove them from the judgment-seat.

17And they all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.

18And Paul, having tarried after this yet many days, took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila: having shorn his head in Cenchreae; for he had a vow.

19And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

20And when they asked him to abide a longer time, he consented not;

21but taking his leave of them, and saying, I will return again unto you if God will, he set sail from Ephesus.

22And when he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went down to Antioch.

23And having spent some time [there], he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.

24Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures.

25This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John:

26and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately.

27And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace;

28for he powerfully confuted the Jews, [and that] publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

1After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.

2There 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 depart from Rome. Paul approached them,

3and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them (for they were tentmakers by trade).

4He addressed both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade them.

5Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

6When they opposed him and reviled him, he protested by shaking out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!”

7Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

8Crispus, the president of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it believed and were baptized.

9The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent

10because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you because I have many people in this city.”

11So he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews attacked Paul together and brought him before the judgment seat,

13saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God in a way contrary to the law!”

14But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, I would have been justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews,

15but since it concerns points of disagreement about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of these things!”

16Then he had them forced away from the judgment seat.

17So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and began to beat him in front of the judgment seat. Yet none of these things were of any concern to Gallio.

18Paul, after staying many more days in Corinth, said farewell to the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because he had made a vow.

19When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila behind there, but he himself went into the synagogue and addressed the Jews.

20When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent,

21but said farewell to them and added, “I will come back to you again if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus,

22and when he arrived at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem and then went down to Antioch.

23After he spent some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

24Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures.

25He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

26He began to speak out fearlessly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.

27When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,

28for he refuted the Jews vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

1After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.

2He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,

3and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

4He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

5But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

6When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”

7He departed there, and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

8Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

9The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent;

10for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

11He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

13saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

14But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you;

15but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”

16So he drove them from the judgment seat.

17Then all the Greeks laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn’t care about any of these things.

18Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow.

19He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

20When they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined;

21but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

22When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.

23Having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.

24Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures.

25This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

27When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

28for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

Paul arrives in Corinth, works as a tentmaker with Aquila and Priscilla, spends eighteen months establishing the church, the Lord assures him in a vision "I have many people in this city," and Apollos begins his powerful ministry.

Authorship & Background

Author: Luke (see Chapter 1 notes for full authorship details).
Historical Context: Chapter 18 records Paul's ministry in Corinth (vv.1-17) — where he stayed 18 months and founded one of the most significant (and problematic) churches in the NT. It also records the end of the second missionary journey (vv.18-22), the beginning of the third (v.23), and the introduction of Apollos (vv.24-28).
Corinth: A major commercial city on the narrow isthmus connecting mainland Greece to the Peloponnese. Known for wealth, immorality, and religious diversity. "To live like a Corinthian" was a Greek idiom for sexual immorality. Paul would later write two letters to this church addressing serious problems.
God's Encouragement (vv.9-10): Paul received a vision: "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city." God knew who would believe before Paul preached — and He encouraged Paul to keep going despite opposition.
Aquila and Priscilla (vv.2-3,18,26): A married couple who became Paul's close ministry partners. They were tentmakers like Paul, hosted churches in their home, and later mentored Apollos. A model of a couple serving together in ministry.
Apollos (vv.24-28): An eloquent, Scripture-knowledgeable Jew from Alexandria who knew only John's baptism. Priscilla and Aquila "expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly" (v.26) — they discipled him privately rather than correcting him publicly. He became a powerful preacher.

Map & Geography

  • Corinth (v.1): A major port city in southern Greece, connecting the Adriatic and Aegean seas. Known for commerce and immorality. Paul stayed 18 months here.
  • Cenchrea (v.18): The eastern port of Corinth, where Paul cut his hair (a vow) before sailing to Ephesus.
  • Ephesus (v.19): A major city on the west coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Paul briefly visited, then returned for a longer stay in chapter 19.
  • Antioch (v.22): Paul returned to Antioch in Syria (his sending church) between his second and third missionary journeys.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik examines Paul's tentmaking ministry, God's vision of encouragement, the Gallio incident, and Apollos' discipleship.
  • Charles Spurgeon: Sermon: "Much People in This City" on v.10 (MTP Vol. 10, No. 617) "I have much people in this city — people who haven't believed yet, people who haven't even heard yet — but they are Mine. God knows His elect before they know Him. And He sends His servants to find them. Your city has people who belong to God — go find them." Sermon: "Apollos Instructed" on v.26 (MTP Vol. 22, No. 1352) "They expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly — not publicly, not with rebuke, not with condescension — privately, graciously, as friends. That is how you correct a gifted person who has incomplete understanding. Not shame them — complete them."

Reflection

  • 1. God told Paul "I have much people in this city" (v.10) — people who hadn't believed yet but would. God knows who will respond before you preach. How does this truth encourage you to share the Gospel even when results seem unlikely?
  • 2. Paul worked as a tentmaker while planting a church (v.3). He didn't wait for full-time ministry funding — he worked and ministered simultaneously. How do you integrate your faith with your daily work? Is your job a platform for ministry?
  • 3. Priscilla and Aquila corrected Apollos privately and graciously (v.26). They didn't embarrass him publicly — they completed his understanding. How do you handle it when someone you respect has incomplete or incorrect theology? Do you correct with grace or with superiority?
  • 4. "Be not afraid, but speak" (v.9). God's command to Paul in a hostile city. Where are you afraid to speak? What would it look like to obey this command in your specific context?
  • 5. Paul stayed in Corinth 18 months (v.11) — one of his longest stays anywhere. Sometimes effective ministry requires long-term commitment, not quick visits. Where has God planted you for the long haul? Are you committed to staying?
  • 6. When the Jews rejected the Gospel, Paul said "I am clean" (v.6) — he had fulfilled his responsibility. You are responsible to share the Gospel; you are not responsible for people's response. How does this distinction free you from guilt about those who reject your witness?
  • 7. Apollos was "mighty in the scriptures" and "fervent in the spirit" (vv.24-25) but had incomplete knowledge. Passion and knowledge are both needed — but neither alone is sufficient. Which do you tend toward — passion without depth, or knowledge without fire?
  • 8. Gallio refused to judge religious matters (v.15) — and God used his indifference to protect the church. God can use even indifferent authorities for His purposes. How does God's sovereignty over human governments encourage you?
  • 9. Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla worked together as tentmakers and ministers (v.3). Ministry partnerships — especially married couples serving together — are powerful. If you're married, how are you and your spouse serving together? If single, who are your ministry partners?