Acts 18

¹After these events, Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. ²There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had decreed that all Jews must depart from Rome. Paul approached them, ³and because they shared the same trade, he stayed with them and they worked together; for by trade they were leatherworkers. ⁴Every Sabbath he would reason in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

⁵When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became completely engrossed in the message, testifying to the Jews that the Anointed One is Jesus. ⁶But when they resisted and spoke abusively, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood is on your own heads! I am clean of it. From now on, I will go to the nations."

⁷So he transitioned from there and went into the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God whose house was right next door to the synagogue. ⁸Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord along with his entire household; and many of the Corinthians, upon hearing the message, believed and were baptized. ⁹One night, the Lord said to Paul through a vision, "Do not be afraid, but keep speaking and do not be silent, ¹⁰because I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for I have many people in this city." ¹¹So he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹²While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united assault against Paul and brought him before the bēma, ¹³saying, "This man is persuading people to worship God in a way that is contrary to the law."

¹⁴As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If this were a matter of some injustice or a wicked crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you. ¹⁵But since it is a question of words and names and the law that belongs to you, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of these things." ¹⁶And he drove them away from the bēma. ¹⁷Then they all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the bēma. But none of these things were of any concern to Gallio.

¹⁸After staying on for a considerable number of days, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae, he had his hair cut short, for he was under a vow. ¹⁹When they reached Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila there, but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, ²¹but as he said goodbye he told them, "I will return to you again, God willing." Then he set sail from Ephesus.

²²After landing at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. ²³Having spent some time there, he departed and went from place to place 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 articulate man, well-versed in the Scriptures. ²⁵He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though 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 the Way of God to him more accurately. ²⁷When he wanted to cross over into Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. Upon his arrival, he greatly assisted those who had believed through grace, ²⁸for he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that the Anointed One is Jesus.