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18
In Corinth
1 Now after these things, having departed from Athens, Paul came to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with Priscilla his wife (because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them, 3 and because he was of the same trade, he remained with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
5 Now when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, solemnly bearing witness to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And having gone over from there, he went into the house of a certain man named Justus, who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, were believing and were being baptized.
9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul by a vision in the night, saying, “Do not fear, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one purpose rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”
14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If then it was some misdeed or wicked crime, O Jews, according to reason I would bear with you. 15 But if it is a question about a word and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; for I do not wish to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them away from the judgment seat. 17 Then all the Greeks, taking hold of Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, were beating him before the judgment seat. And none of these things was a concern to Gallio.
Paul Returns to Antioch
18 Now Paul still remained there a good while, then bid farewell to the brothers, and sailed away for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off in Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. 19 And he arrived in Ephesus, and he left those two there; but he, having entered into the synagogue, reasoned with the Jews. 20 And when they asked him to remain with them for a longer time, he declined, 21 but bid farewell to them saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast which is in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he put out to sea from Ephesus. 22 And having gone down to Caesarea, and having gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 After having spent some time there, he departed, and went from place to place through the Galatian region and the Phrygian region, strengthening all the disciples.
Ministry of Apollos
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, had arrived in Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things about the Lord, although he knew only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And when Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to go across to Achaia, having urged him on, the brothers wrote to the disciples there to receive him; and when he arrived, he assisted greatly with those who had believed through grace; 28 for he was powerfully refuting the Jews publicly, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito