Acts18

Paul arrived in Corinth, working as a tentmaker with Aquila and Priscilla, and preached in the synagogue. Faced with Jewish opposition, he turned to the Gentiles, leading to many conversions, including Crispus. The Lord encouraged Paul in a vision to continue speaking, and he remained for eighteen months. Later, when Jews accused him before Gallio, the proconsul dismissed the charges, deeming them internal religious matters.

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Paul Begins Ministry in Corinth

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

And 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;

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

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

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

And 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.

And 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.

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

And the Lord said unto Paul in the night by 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 harm thee: for I have much people in this city.

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

The Trial Before Proconsul Gallio

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

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

But 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:

but 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.

And he drove them from the judgment-seat.

And 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.

Paul Returns to Antioch

And 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 Cenchreæ; for he had a vow.

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

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

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

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

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

The Ministry of Apollos

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

This 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:

and 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.

And 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;

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

Study Notes for Acts 18

Verse 1

Corinth was a major, wealthy, and morally lax Roman port city, making it a strategic center for Paul’s mission in Achaia (Southern Greece).

Verse 2

The expulsion of Jews from Rome by Emperor Claudius (c. AD 49) is a key historical marker, confirming the date of Paul's arrival (c. AD 50). This providential event connected Paul with Aquila and Priscilla, who became indispensable ministry partners.

Verse 3

Paul supported himself through manual labor (tentmaking), demonstrating the dignity of work and ensuring he could preach the gospel without being financially dependent on the new converts (cf. 1 Cor. 9:18).

Verse 5

The arrival of Silas and Timothy, likely bringing financial support from Macedonia, allowed Paul to stop working and devote himself entirely ('pressed in the spirit') to testifying that Jesus was the Messiah.

Verse 6

Shaking his garments symbolized severing responsibility for their rejection. This act formally marked a strategic turning point, shifting Paul’s primary mission focus in Corinth from the synagogue to the Gentiles.

Verse 7

The new meeting place was symbolically located right next door to the synagogue, positioning the burgeoning Christian church as a direct alternative to the Jewish center.

Verse 8

The conversion of Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, was a significant blow to the Jewish establishment and a major victory for the Christian community.

Verse 9

This vision provided necessary divine encouragement when Paul was facing intense opposition, assuring him of protection and the effectiveness of his ministry.

Verse 10

God promises both security ('no man shall set on thee to hurt thee') and success ('I have much people in this city'), confirming that Paul's work in Corinth was divinely mandated.

Verse 11

Paul’s 18-month stay (c. AD 50-52) was foundational, during which he established the large and complex Corinthian church and likely wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

Verse 12

Gallio was the Roman proconsul of Achaia. His time in office (c. AD 51-52) provides the most precise external date for Paul’s missionary career.

Verse 13

The charge was that Paul was persuading men to worship illegally, suggesting Christianity was not yet recognized under Roman law as a legitimate sect of Judaism (religio licita).

Verse 15

Gallio dismissed the case, viewing it as an internal Jewish dispute over 'words and names.' This decision established a crucial precedent, granting Christianity temporary legal immunity from Roman interference.

Verse 17

Sosthenes, likely the new synagogue ruler, was beaten, perhaps by Greeks who were anti-Jewish, or by Jews frustrated by the legal defeat. Gallio’s indifference (cared for none of those things) highlights the Roman lack of concern for religious squabbles.

Verse 18

Paul’s shorn head suggests he had completed a temporary Nazarite vow (Num. 6:1-21). This demonstrates his continued respect for Jewish piety and his desire to relate to Jewish believers.

Verse 19

Paul briefly ministered in Ephesus, a key city in Asia Minor, leaving Priscilla and Aquila there to establish the foundation for the future church.

Verse 21

Paul’s desire to keep the feast (likely Pentecost or Passover) reflects his continued commitment to maintaining ties with the mother church in Jerusalem. The phrase 'if God will' (Deo volente) shows submission to divine providence.

Verse 22

Landing at Caesarea, Paul went up to Jerusalem ('saluted the church') to report on the success of the mission, formally concluding his Second Missionary Journey, before returning to his home base in Antioch.

Verse 23

Paul immediately begins his Third Missionary Journey (c. AD 53-57), focusing first on revisiting and strengthening the churches he had previously founded in Galatia and Phrygia.

Verse 24

Apollos, an Alexandrian Jew, was highly educated, reflecting the intellectual center of Alexandria. His eloquence and mastery of the Hebrew Scriptures made him a formidable evangelist.

Verse 25

Apollos 'knew only the baptism of John,' meaning he understood repentance and the need for the Messiah, but lacked full knowledge of Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 26

Priscilla and Aquila demonstrated humility and theological maturity by privately instructing the gifted Apollos. This highlights the vital teaching role of lay leaders in the early church.

Verse 27

The brethren provided Apollos with letters of recommendation, allowing him to move into Achaia (Corinth) where he would later play a significant role (cf. 1 Cor. 3:6).

Verse 28

Apollos’s strength lay in his powerful use of the Old Testament Scriptures to publicly refute Jewish opposition and demonstrate conclusively that Jesus was the promised Christ.

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Acts18

Paul Begins Ministry in Corinth

The Trial Before Proconsul Gallio

Paul Returns to Antioch

The Ministry of Apollos

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