18:1 After this Paul left Athens and came to Corinth.

18:2 There he found a certain Judean named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had expelled all the Judeans from Rome.

18:3 He formed a partnership to work with them because he and they were all tent makers by trade.

18:4 On every Sabbath he debated in the synagogue, and he persuaded both Judeans and non-Judeans.

18:5 Now when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul gave his full devotion to the Word, proving to the Judeans that Jesus was the Anointed.

18:6 But due to their opposition and slander against God, he shook out his clothing to insult them and said, “You have condemned yourselves! I am hereby absolved of all responsibility for you. From now on I will go to the non-Judeans!”

18:7 So he left there and entered the home of a certain Titus Justus, a man devoted to God, whose house adjoined the synagogue.

18:8 Crispus the synagogue ruler put his trust in the Master, as did his whole household. Many Corinthians heard, believed, and were immersed.

18:9 One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: “Do not be afraid; speak and do not be silent,

18:10 for I am with you. No one will attack and mistreat you, because many people in this city belong to me.”

18:11 So he stayed there for a year and a half, teaching the Word of God among them.

18:12 When Gallio was the regional governor of Achaia, the Judeans banded together and assaulted Paul, then took him to the courthouse.

18:13 The charge they brought was this: “This person is convincing people to serve God in illegal ways!”

18:14 But as Paul opened his mouth to speak, Gallio retorted to the Judeans, “You Judeans, if this were a real crime or malicious mischief, I might have a reason to hear your plea.

18:15 But if these are just matters of semantics or one of your laws, it’s your problem! I will not be a judge of such things.”

18:16 And he expelled them from the courtroom.

18:17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the courthouse. But Gallio couldn’t have cared less.

18:18 So Paul stayed there for many days with the believers. Then he sailed off for Syria along with Priscilla and Aquila, after he had his head shaved in Cenchrea due to a vow he had taken.

18:19 He parted company with them in Ephesus and went into the synagogues to debate the Judeans.

18:20 They asked him to stay but he was not willing,

18:21 and he left with the promise, “I will come back to you again if God allows.”Then he left Ephesus

18:22 and went down to Caeserea. After greeting the Congregation he then went to Antioch.

18:23 After some time he left again, passing through the province of Galatia and then Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

18:24 Now a certain Judean named Apollos, a native of Alexandria and an eloquent man with great skill in handling scripture, arrived in Ephesus.

18:25 He had been told about the way of the Master, and he passionately gave accurate teachings about Jesus. But he only knew up to the immersion of John,

18:26 and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Upon hearing him, Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and carefully filled him in on the full account.

18:27 When the believers heard of his intention to pass through into Achaia, they wrote to the disciples and encouraged them to welcome him. Upon his arrival he discussed many things with those who had come to faith through God’s favor.

18:28 And he vigorously and thoroughly refuted the Judeans in public debate, demonstrating through the scriptures that Jesus was the Anointed.