CHAPTER 18
There
he found
a
Jew
named
Aquila,
a native
of Pontus,
who had recently
come
from
Italy
with
his
wife
Priscilla,
because
Claudius
had ordered
all
the
Jews
to leave
Rome.
Paul went
to visit them,
And
when
Silas
and
Timothy
came down
from
Macedonia,
Paul
devoted himself fully
to the
word,
testifying
to the
Jews
that Jesus
is
the
Christ.
But when
they
opposed
and
insulted him,
he shook out
his
garments
and told
them,
“Your
blood
be on
your
own
heads!
I am
innocent of it.
From
now on
I will go
to
the
Gentiles."
Crispus,
the
synagogue leader,
and
his
whole
household
believed
in the
Lord.
And
many
of the
Corinthians
who heard the message
believed
and
were baptized.
One
night
the
Lord
spoke
to Paul
in
a vision:
“Do not
be afraid;
keep on speaking;
do not
be silent.
While
Gallio
was
proconsul
of
Achaia,
the
Jews
coordinated an
attack
on Paul
and
brought
him
before
the
judgment seat.
But just as
Paul
was about
to speak,
Gallio
told
the
Jews,
“If
this matter involved
a
wrongdoing
or
vicious
crime,
O
Jews,
it would be reasonable
for me to hear
your complaint .
But
since
it is
a dispute
about
words
and
names
and
your own
law,
settle it
yourselves.
I
refuse
to be
a judge
of such things.”
At this,
the crowd seized
Sosthenes
the
synagogue leader
and beat him
in front of
the
judgment seat.
But
none
of this
was of any concern
to Gallio.
Paul
remained in Corinth
for quite
some
time
before saying goodbye
to the
brothers.
He had his
head
shaved
in
Cenchrea
to keep
a vow
he had made ,
and then he sailed
for
Syria,
accompanied by
Priscilla
and
Aquila.
When
they reached
Ephesus,
Paul parted ways with
Priscilla and Aquila.
He himself
went
into
the
synagogue there
and reasoned
with the
Jews.
But
as he left,
he said,
“I will come back
to
you
again
if God
is willing.”
And he set sail
from
Ephesus.
When Paul
had landed
at
Caesarea,
he went up
and
greeted
the
church at Jerusalem .
Then he went down
to
Antioch.
After
Paul had spent
some
time in Antioch,
he traveled
from place to place
throughout
the
region
of Galatia
and
Phrygia,
strengthening
all
the
disciples.
Meanwhile
a
Jew
named
Apollos,
a native
of Alexandria,
came
to
Ephesus.
He was
an eloquent
man,
well versed
in
the
Scriptures.
He
had been
instructed in
the
way
of the
Lord
and
was fervent
in spirit.
He spoke
and
taught
accurately
about
Jesus,
though he knew
only
the
baptism
of John.
And
he
began
to speak boldly
in
the
synagogue.
When
Priscilla
and
Aquila
heard
him,
they took him in
and
explained
to him
the
way
of
God
more accurately.
When
Apollos
resolved
to cross over
to
Achaia,
the
brothers
encouraged him
and wrote
to the
disciples there
to welcome
him.
On his arrival,
he greatly
aided
those who
by
grace
had believed.
For
he powerfully
refuted
the
Jews
in public debate,
proving
by
the
Scriptures
that Jesus
is
the
Christ.