Atos 18

¹ After this Paul left Athens to go to Corinth.

² There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus who is currently from Italy with his wife Priscilla. Claudius commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. So he came to them.

³ He was of the same trade as Paul. So he stayed with them and worked at their tentmaker trade.

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

⁵ Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia. He witnessed to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

⁶ When they opposed Paul and treated him abusively he shook out his garment and said to them: »Your blood is upon your own heads. I am clean. From now on I will go to the people of the nations.«

⁷ He left the synagogue and went next door to the house of a man named Titus Justus, one who worshiped God.

⁸ Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord and so did his household. Many of the Corinthians who heard and believed were baptized.

⁹ The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision: »Do not be afraid, but speak. Do not keep silent!

¹⁰ »I am with you and no man will harm you. I have many people in this city.«

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

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

¹³ They said: »This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.«

¹⁴ Paul was about to speak when Gallio said to the Jews: »If you Jews were about to complain about some crime it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.

¹⁵ »But it involves questions about words and names in your own law so look to it yourselves. I will not be judge of these matters.«

¹⁶ He drove them from the court.

¹⁷ They all grabbed Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the court. Gallio did not care about this.

¹⁸ Paul stayed many days. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria. Also with Paul were Priscilla and Aquila. Paul clipped this hair short in Cenchreae because of a vow.

¹⁹ They traveled to Ephesus where he left them. Paul entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

²⁰ When they asked him to stay longer he declined.

²¹ »I will return again to you if it is God’s will,« Paul said. Then he set sail from Ephesus.

²² When he landed at Caesarea, he greeted the congregation and traveled to Antioch.

²³ After spending some time there he departed through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia strengthening all the disciples.

²⁴ A Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was an Alexandrian who had a comprehensive knowledge of the scriptures and spoke eloquently.

²⁵ This man had been instructed in God’s way. Being fervent in spirit he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John.

²⁶ He spoke boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him home and explained God’s word more accurately.

²⁷ When he decided to travel to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him. They wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived he was a great help to those who by grace believed.

²⁸ He powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.