Crispus

Biblical Record

Crispus is mentioned by name twice in the New Testament. His name derives from the Latin Crispus.

• Acts 18:8: During his second missionary journey, Paul stayed in Corinth. He testified to the Jews in the synagogue that Jesus was the Christ but met with opposition, so he moved to the house of Titius Justus, which was next door to the synagogue (Acts 18:5–7). The account continues: "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." The ruler of the synagogue was the official responsible for overseeing its worship and gatherings. Because Crispus held this office, he is generally thought to have been Jewish.
• 1 Corinthians 1:14: Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for dividing into factions, with members saying, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos." He then states that he is thankful he baptized none of them "but Crispus and Gaius." He immediately adds that he also baptized the household of Stephanas (1 Corinthians 1:16).

Significance Within Scripture

Crispus is an example of a leader of a Jewish synagogue who accepted the gospel. The book of Acts records that the ruler of the synagogue believed shortly after Paul left the synagogue, thereby presenting both the opposition that arose in Corinth and the fruit that came from Paul's ministry there.

In 1 Corinthians, Crispus's name serves a different purpose. Paul argues that believers must not divide into parties over who baptized them, and Crispus appears as an example supporting this point. In this passage Paul declares, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel" (1 Corinthians 1:17).

Interpretation and Debated Points

• "All his house" and baptism: Acts 18:8 records that an entire household believed. For this reason it is frequently cited in the infant baptism debate, together with Acts 16:14–15, Acts 16:30–34, and Acts 11:14. Denominations that practice infant baptism, such as Presbyterian and Methodist churches, appeal to these "household baptism" texts, arguing that baptism was administered to the family as a unit of the covenant community. Those who hold to believer's baptism, such as Baptists, emphasize that the text states that the members of the household "believed," and they maintain that there is no evidence that infants were included in these passages. For further discussion, see the article Baptism and Immersion.
• Relationship to Sosthenes: Acts 18:17 mentions "Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue." Some interpreters therefore suggest that Sosthenes succeeded Crispus after Crispus came to faith. The text, however, does not directly state the relationship between the two men. Others point to the possibility that a single synagogue could have had more than one ruler.
• Extrabiblical tradition: Later church literature preserves a tradition that Crispus became bishop of the island of Aegina. This tradition is not found in Scripture and has not been confirmed as historical fact.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Crispus is mentioned chiefly in expositions of 1 Corinthians 1, which addresses division in the Corinthian church. Acts 18:8 is also often cited as a text about "one person believing and the whole family being saved," and it is used together with Acts 16:31 to emphasize family evangelism. In Sunday school, he is typically introduced only briefly, alongside Priscilla and Aquila, in lessons on Paul's ministry in Corinth.