Chapter 18

1After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

2There he met a Jewish man named Aquila, who was originally from Pontus. Aquila had recently come from Italy with his wife, Priscilla, because Emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

3and because they shared the same trade, he stayed and worked with them. They were tentmakers.

4Every Sabbath, Paul held discussions in the synagogue, the Jewish place of worship, and tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

5When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself completely to proclaiming the message. He solemnly told the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

6But they opposed him and spoke abusively. Paul shook out his clothes as a sign that he was finished with them and said, “You are responsible for what happens to you—your blood is on your own heads. I am not responsible. From now on, I will go to non-Jews.”

7Paul left the synagogue and went into the home of a man named Titius Justus, who worshiped God. His house stood next door to the synagogue.

8Crispus, the synagogue leader, trusted in the Lord, along with everyone in his household. Many other Corinthians heard the message, believed, and were baptized in water.

9During the night, the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid. Keep speaking, and do not be silent,

10because I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, because many people in this city belong to me.”

11So Paul stayed there for a year and six months, teaching the people God’s message.

12While Gallio was the Roman governor of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the governor’s judgment seat.

13They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in a way that violates the law.”

14Paul was about to speak when Gallio said to the Jews, “If this involved some wrongdoing or serious crime, I would have good reason to hear your complaint.

15But since it is an argument about words, names, and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.”

16Then Gallio drove them away from the judgment seat.

17The crowd seized Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and beat him in front of the judgment seat. Gallio cared nothing about any of it.

18Paul remained in Corinth for many more days. Then he said goodbye to the fellow believers and sailed for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. At the port of Cenchreae, Paul had his hair cut because of a vow he had made.

19They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and held a discussion with the Jews.

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

21Instead, he said goodbye and told them, “I will return to you again if God wants me to.” Then he sailed from Ephesus.

22After landing at Caesarea, Paul went up and greeted the community of believers. Then he went down to Antioch.

23After spending some time there, Paul left and traveled from place to place through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

24Meanwhile, a Jewish man named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was originally from Alexandria, spoke with skill, and had a powerful knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures.

25Apollos had been taught the Lord’s way. With burning enthusiasm, he spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism taught by John.

26Apollos began speaking boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained God’s way to him more accurately.

27When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the fellow believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there, asking them to welcome him. After he arrived, he greatly helped those who had come to believe through God’s grace.

28In public, Apollos powerfully proved the Jews wrong, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.