18Acts 18

Paul in Corinth

1Paul left Athens and went to Corinth,Select Acts 18:1

2where he met Aquila, a Jewish man from Pontus. Not long before this, Aquila had come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Emperor Claudius had ordered the Jewish people to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and PriscillaSelect Acts 18:2

3and found out they were tent makers. Paul was also a tent maker, so he stayed with them, and they worked together.Select Acts 18:3

4Every Sabbath, Paul went to the synagogue. He spoke to Jews and Gentiles and tried to win them over.Select Acts 18:4

5But after Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, he spent all his time preaching to the Jews about Jesus the Messiah.Select Acts 18:5

6Finally, they turned against him and insulted him. So he shook the dust from his clothes and told them, “Whatever happens to you will be your own fault! I am not to blame. From now on I am going to preach to the Gentiles.”Select Acts 18:6

7Paul then moved into the house of a man named Titius Justus, who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue.Select Acts 18:7

8Crispus was the leader of the synagogue. He and everyone in his family put their faith in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard the message, and all the people who had faith in the Lord were baptized.Select Acts 18:8

9One night, Paul had a vision, and in it the Lord said, “Don't be afraid to keep on preaching. Don't stop!Select Acts 18:9

10I am with you, and you won't be harmed. Many people in this city belong to me.”Select Acts 18:10

11Paul stayed on in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching God's message to the people.Select Acts 18:11

12While Gallio was governor of Achaia, some of the Jewish leaders got together and grabbed Paul. They brought him into courtSelect Acts 18:12

13and said, “This man is trying to make our people worship God in a way that is against our Law!”Select Acts 18:13

14Even before Paul could speak, Gallio said, “If you were charging this man with a crime or some other wrong, I would have to listen to you.Select Acts 18:14

15But since this concerns only words, names, and your own law, you will have to take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.”Select Acts 18:15

16Then he sent them out of the court.Select Acts 18:16

17The crowd grabbed Sosthenes, the Jewish leader, and beat him up in front of the court. But none of this mattered to Gallio.Select Acts 18:17

Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria

18After Paul had stayed for a while with the Lord's followers in Corinth, he told them goodbye and sailed on to Syria with Aquila and Priscilla. But before he left, he had his head shaved at Cenchreae because he had made a promise to God.Select Acts 18:18

19The three of them arrived in Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He then went into the synagogue to talk with the people there.Select Acts 18:19

20They asked him to stay longer, but he refused.Select Acts 18:20

21He told them goodbye and said, “If God lets me, I will come back.”Select Acts 18:21

22Paul sailed to Caesarea, where he greeted the church. Then he went on to Antioch.Select Acts 18:22

23After staying there for a while, he left and visited several places in Galatia and Phrygia. He helped the followers there to become stronger in their faith.Select Acts 18:23

Apollos in Ephesus

24A Jewish man named Apollos came to Ephesus. Apollos had been born in the city of Alexandria. He was a very good speaker and knew a lot about the Scriptures.Select Acts 18:24

25He also knew much about the Lord's Way, and he spoke about it with great excitement. What he taught about Jesus was right, but all he knew was John's message about baptism.Select Acts 18:25

26Apollos started speaking bravely in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him to their home and helped him understand God's Way even better.Select Acts 18:26

27Apollos decided to travel through Achaia. So the Lord's followers wrote letters, encouraging the followers there to welcome him. After Apollos arrived in Achaia, he was a great help to everyone who had put their faith in the Lord Jesus because of God's gift of undeserved grace.Select Acts 18:27

28He got into fierce arguments with the Jewish people, and in public he used the Scriptures to prove that Jesus is the Messiah.Select Acts 18:28