Overview of Acts Chapter 18

In Acts chapter 18, Paul arrives in Corinth, where he forms vital partnerships with Aquila and his wife Priscilla, engaging in fervent preaching.

Amidst facing false accusations, an encounter with Gallio, the proconsul, sees Paul cleared of charges.

Strengthened by a divine vision, Paul extends his stay in Corinth, leaving a significant impact on the growing Church.

Paul meets Apollos, who is a gifted speaker, in Ephesus.

Under the instruction of Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos receives further instruction, deepening his understanding.

The chapter concludes with Paul's departure from Corinth, accompanied by his fellow workers.

Despite challenges, the Church continues to flourish and expand, underscoring the resilience and enduring impact of the Gospel message.

Verses 1-17: Paul in Corinth

After leaving Athens, Paul arrived in Corinth where he met a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla.

They had recently come from Italy due to an order by Claudius for all Jews to leave Rome.

Paul, who shared the same trade as a tent-maker, stayed and worked with them.

He regularly engaged in discussions at the synagogue on the Sabbath, attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

Upon the arrival of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia, Paul focused on preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

However, faced with opposition and insults, he declared his innocence and announced his decision to turn to the Gentiles.

Leaving the synagogue, Paul went to the house of Justus, a God-fearing man living next to the synagogue.

Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household, as well as many Corinthians who heard Paul, believed in the Lord and were baptized.

In a vision one night, the Lord reassured Paul not to be afraid and encouraged him to continue speaking boldly, promising protection.

Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and six months, teaching the word of God.

When Gallio became the proconsul of Achaia, the Jews united to attack Paul, accusing him of persuading people, to worship God, contrary to the law.

However, Gallio dismissed the case, stating that it was a matter, of words and names, within their own law, and refused to be the judge.

He drove them away from the tribunal.

The Jews then seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal, but Gallio paid no attention to the incident.

Verses 18-23: Paul Returns to Antioch

Following his extended stay, Paul bid farewell to the brothers and embarked on a journey to Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.

At Cenchreae, he adhered to a vow by cutting his hair.

Upon reaching Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila, but engaged in discussions with the Jews at the synagogue.

Despite their request for him to stay longer, Paul declined and, upon parting, expressed his intention to return if it was God's will.

Subsequently, he sailed from Ephesus.

Upon arriving in Caesarea, he greeted the church and then proceeded to Antioch.

After spending some time there, he moved on, traveling through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, actively strengthening all the disciples he encountered along the way.

Verses 24-28: Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus

Known for his eloquence and knowledge of the Scriptures, Apollos has been instructed in the way of the Lord and fervently spoke about Jesus.

However, his knowledge was limited to John's baptism.

Apollos boldly speaks in the synagogue, catching the attention of Priscilla and Aquila.

Recognizing his gifting, and desiring to provide him with more accurate understanding, they take him aside and explain the way of God more thoroughly.

Upon expressing a desire to go to Achaia, Apollos receives encouragement from the believers, who write to the disciples there to welcome him.

In Achaia, Apollos becomes a significant asset, using his powerful gifting of the Scriptures, to refute Jewish opposition.

He demonstrates persuasively that Jesus is the Christ, greatly contributing to the growth of the Church.

Summary

In Acts chapter 18, Paul arrives in Corinth, forms partnerships with Aquila and Priscilla, and engages in preaching.

He faces accusations but is cleared by Gallio, the proconsul.

A divine vision strengthens Paul, and he stays in Corinth for another year and six months.

Apollos, a gifted speaker, arrives in Ephesus and receives a deeper understanding of the Scriptures from Aquila and Priscilla.

The chapter concludes with Paul's departure from Corinth, with his fellow workers going with him.

 

Paul in Corinth

18 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. ² And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, ³ and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. ⁴ And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

⁵ When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. ⁶ And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” ⁷ And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. ⁸ Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. ⁹ And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” ¹¹ And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, ¹³ saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” ¹⁴ But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. ¹⁵ But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” ¹⁶ And he drove them from the tribunal. ¹⁷ And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

Paul Returns to Antioch

¹⁸ After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. ¹⁹ And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. ²¹ But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

²² When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. ²³ After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus

²⁴ Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. ²⁵ He 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. ²⁶ He 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. ²⁷ And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, ²⁸ for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Q&A

Acts 18:1-3
Q1: Where did Paul go after Athens, and what did he find in Corinth, as mentioned in Acts 18:1-3?
A1: Paul went to Corinth and found a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla, who had recently come from Italy because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.

Acts 18:4-6
Q2: How did Paul respond to the Jews in Corinth who opposed and reviled him, as mentioned in Acts 18:4-6?
A2: Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, testifying that Jesus was the Christ. When the Jews opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles."

Acts 18:7-8
Q3: What happened next in Corinth, and who joined Paul in his ministry there, as mentioned in Acts 18:7-8?
A3: Paul went to the house of a man named Justus, a worshiper of God, next to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.

Acts 18:9-11
Q4: What encouragement did the Lord give to Paul in Corinth, and how long did Paul stay there, as mentioned in Acts 18:9-11?
A4: The Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, encouraging him not to be afraid and to keep speaking because He had many people in Corinth. Paul stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Acts 18:12-17
Q5: What legal issues arose in Corinth, and how did Gallio respond to them, as mentioned in Acts 18:12-17?
A5: The Jews in Corinth brought Paul before the tribunal, accusing him of persuading people to worship God contrary to the law. Gallio, the proconsul, dismissed the case, stating it was a matter of their own law.

Acts 18:18-23
Q6: After leaving Corinth, where did Paul go, and what did he do in Ephesus, as mentioned in Acts 18:18-23?
A6: Paul sailed to Syria, accompanied by Aquila and Priscilla. In Ephesus, he left them and went into the synagogue, reasoning with the Jews. He then set sail for Caesarea, visited the church in Jerusalem, and went down to Antioch.

Acts 18:24-28
Q7: Who came to Ephesus and preached there, and how did Aquila and Priscilla help him, as mentioned in Acts 18:24-28?
A7: Apollos, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus and spoke accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. Aquila and Priscilla took him aside, explained the way of God more accurately, and he became a powerful preacher.