Acts 18

1After this, Paul left Athens and went on to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew called Aquila, born in Pontus, who had lately arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, since Claudius had ordered every Jew to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3and because he and they worked at the same craft, he stayed in their home and worked with them. By trade they were tentmakers. 4Each Sabbath he debated in the synagogue, seeking to win over Jews and Greeks alike.

5Once Silas and Timothy had come down from Macedonia, Paul gave himself fully to the word, bearing witness to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6But they set themselves against him and spoke abusively, so he shook out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood is on your own heads. I am clear of it. From now on I am going to the Gentiles.” 7Paul left them and went over to the home of a man named Titius Justus, who worshiped God. His house stood right beside the synagogue. 8Crispus, who led the synagogue, believed in the Lord, and so did everyone in his household. Many other people in Corinth heard the message, believed and were baptized. 9In a vision at night the Lord told Paul, “Stop being afraid. Go on speaking, and do not fall silent. 10I am with you. No one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because many in this city belong to me.” 11Paul stayed on for eighteen months, teaching the word of God among them. 12But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews joined forces against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat. 13Their charge was this: “He is talking people into worshiping God in a way the law does not allow.” 14Paul was about to speak when Gallio said to the Jews, “If this were some wrong or a serious crime, you Jews, I would have good reason to take up your case. 15But these are disputes over teaching and titles and your own law. Deal with them yourselves. I will not sit in judgment on matters like these.” 16Then he had them driven away from the judgment seat. 17Then they all grabbed Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of it.

18Paul remained many days longer. Then he took leave of the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila went with him. In Cenchreae he had his head shaved, since he had made a vow. 19They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul was to leave Priscilla and Aquila. He went into the synagogue on his own and debated with the Jews. 20They urged him to stay longer, but he would not agree. 21As he said goodbye, he told them, “I will come back to you, if God wills,” and he put out to sea from Ephesus. 22He came ashore at Caesarea, went up to greet the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23After some time there he set out again and journeyed through the Galatian country and Phrygia, town after town, building up all the disciples. 24A Jew called Apollos, born in Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a gifted speaker and could handle the Scriptures with power. 25He had been taught the way of the Lord, and with great zeal he spoke and taught the facts about Jesus correctly, though the only baptism he knew was John’s. 26He started to speak out fearlessly in the synagogue. Priscilla and Aquila heard him there, and they took him in and taught him the way of God more precisely. 27Apollos planned to go across to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters encouraged him in it. They wrote to the disciples there, asking them to welcome him. Once he came, he gave much help to those who had come to believe through grace, 28for he argued powerfully and publicly against the Jews, proving them wrong, and used the Scriptures to show that Jesus is the Christ.