Chapter 18

¹And after these things, having left Athens, he came to Corinth; ²and finding a certain Jew by name Aquila, of Pontus by race, just come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife, (because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome,) came to them, ³and because they were of the same trade abode with them, and wrought. For they were tent-makers by trade. ⁴And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks. ⁵And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in respect of the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ⁶But as they opposed and spoke injuriously, he shook his clothes, and said to them, Your blood be upon your own head: I [am] pure; from henceforth I will go to the nations. ⁷And departing thence he came to the house of a certain [man], by name Justus, who worshipped God, whose house adjoined the synagogue. ⁸But Crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptised. ⁹And the Lord said by vision in [the] night to Paul, Fear not, but speak and be not silent; ¹⁰because I am with thee, and no one shall set upon thee to injure thee; because I have much people in this city. ¹¹And he remained [there] a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God. ¹²But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one consent rose against Paul and led him to the judgment-seat, ¹³saying, This [man] persuades men to worship God contrary to the law. ¹⁴But as Paul was going to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, If indeed it was some wrong or wicked criminality, O Jews, of reason I should have borne with you; ¹⁵but if it be questions about words, and names, and the law that ye have, see to it yourselves; [for] I do not intend to be judge of these things. ¹⁶And he drove them from the judgment-seat. ¹⁷And having all laid hold on Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, they beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio troubled himself about none of these things. ¹⁸And Paul, having yet stayed [there] many days, took leave of the brethren and sailed thence to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow; ¹⁹and he arrived at Ephesus, and left them there. But entering himself into the synagogue he reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰And when they asked him that he would remain for a longer time [with them] he did not accede, ²¹but bade them farewell, saying, [I must by all means keep the coming feast at Jerusalem]; I will return to you again, if God will: and he sailed away from Ephesus. ²²And landing at Caesarea, and having gone up and saluted the assembly, he went down to Antioch. ²³And having stayed [there] some time, he went forth, passing in order through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing all the disciples. ²⁴But a certain Jew, Apollos by name, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, who was mighty in the scriptures, arrived at Ephesus. ²⁵He was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in his spirit, he spoke and taught exactly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John. ²⁶And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to [them] and unfolded to him the way of God more exactly. ²⁷And when he purposed to go into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples engaging them to receive him, who, being come, contributed much to those who believed through grace. ²⁸For he with great force convinced the Jews publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.