Acts 18

(1) Paul Visits Corinth

After his time in Athens, Paul left and went to Corinth [50 miles west of Athens], where he met a man named Aquila. Aquila was originally from Pontus, but had just arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Emperor Claudius had kicked all the Jews out of Rome. Paul was a tentmaker just like Aquila, so he stayed with them and they worked together. On Sabbath days Paul visited the Jewish churches where he debated both Jews and non-Jews, trying to persuade them. 

(5) Paul Stays for 1.5 Years

When Silas and Timothy finally rejoined Paul from Macedonia [in northern Greece], that’s when the message of Jesus started weighing on Paul more heavily. He told the Jews that Jesus was the Chosen One, but they resisted his message and treated it like a joke. Paul just shook it off though and told them,

“Well I guess your blood is on your own hands then, because mine are clean! From now on, I’ll spend my time talking to the non-Jews.”

So Paul left and went next door to the house of a God-worshiper named Titius Justus. The leader of that Jewish church was named Crispus, and he actually ended up believing in the Master along with his entire household and lots of other Corinthians. After they heard the message, they believed and got baptized. Then the Master told Paul in a vision,

“Don’t be afraid any more. Keep spreading the word, and don’t be silent, because I’m with you. No one will attack you because I have lots of people in this city.”

So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and half, teaching God’s message. 

(12) Jews Bring Paul to Court

Corinth was located in the Roman province of Achaia, and during Gallio’s term as the region’s governor, the Jews banded together, opposed Paul, and brought him to court. They claimed,

“This guy is persuading people to worship God in ways that contradict our law!”

But just as Paul was about to respond, Gallio told the Jews, 

“If this man was doing something harmful or malicious, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you, but since this is about words, names, and your own law, work it out for yourselves! I don’t want to be the judge for this kind of stuff.”

Then he dismissed them from the court building.

As a result, the Jews seized Sosthenes, who was the leader of their own Jewish church, and started beating him in front of the court building. But Gallio couldn’t care less.

(18) Paul Visits Ephesus

Paul spent a little more time in Corinth, then said goodbye to the spiritual family there and set sail toward Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. Before he left, he got his hair cut at Cenchrea [one of Corinth’s ports], because he was keeping a vow. When they arrived in Ephesus [which is in western Turkey], Paul parted ways with his companions and went into the church there where he reasoned with the Jews. The church asked Paul to stay longer, but he declined, said his goodbyes, and added,

“I’ll come back to you again if that’s what God wants.”

Then he set sail from Ephesus. 

(22) Paul Sails to Israel then Travels to Turkey

When Paul arrived in Caesarea [back in Israel], he went and greeted the church there, then went north to Antioch [near the NE corner of the Mediterranean Sea].

After spending some time in Antioch, he left and passed through the Galatian region and Phrygia [both in central Turkey], where he strengthened all the Jesus-followers. 

(24) Apollos Promotes Jesus

Meanwhile, there was a guy back in Ephesus [western Turkey] named Apollos who was born an Alexandrian but was now a Jew. He was very well-educated, strong in the scriptures, and had been taught the Master’s way. His spirit was full of passion, so he spent a lot of his time teaching people about Jesus.

His teachings were generally accurate even though John’s baptism was the only one he knew about. But one day when he was boldly speaking out at the Jewish church in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila heard him and pulled him aside to explain God’s way to him more accurately.

After that, Apollos wanted to go across the sea to Achaia [Greece], so the Ephesian believers encouraged him and messaged the Jesus-followers in Achaia, telling them to welcome Apollos. When he got there, he ended up being a huge help to everyone there who had been graced enough to become believers. During his time there, he publicly disproved the Jews, powerfully using scripture to show that Jesus was the Chosen One.