Acts 18

1 After that, Paul left Athens [city] and went to Corinth [city].

Now after these things Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

2 There he met a Jew whose name was Aquila, who grew up in Pontus [province]. Aquila and his wife Priscilla had recently come from [Rome, in] Italy. [They had previously left Rome] because Claudius, [the Roman Emperor], had ordered that all the Jews must leave Rome. Paul later went to see Aquila and Priscilla.

And encountering a certain 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 depart from Rome), he joined them;

3 Those two made tents [to earn] ([money/a living]). Paul also made tents, so he stayed with them, and they all worked together.

and because he practiced the same trade, he stayed on with them and worked (their trade was tentmaker).

4 Every Sabbath, Paul [went] to the Jewish meeting place, where he spoke forcefully to both Jews and non-Jews. He repeatedly tried to persuade them [that Jesus is the Messiah].

Every Sabbath in the synagogue he would reason with both Jews and Greeks, trying to persuade them.

5 Then Silas and Timothy arrived there from Macedonia province. After they arrived, Paul [did not make tents any more. He] used all his time preaching [the message about Jesus in the Jewish meeting place]. He continued to tell the Jews [that] the Messiah they had been waiting for was Jesus.

But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the Spirit, solemnly insisting to the Jews: Jesus is the Christ.

6 But the Jews began to oppose Paul and to say evil things about him. So he shook [the dust from] his clothes [to show them that they were displeasing God. Then] he said to them, “If God punishes you, it will be your [SYN] own fault [MTY], not mine! From now on I will go [and preach] to non-Jewish people!”

But since they kept contradicting and blaspheming, he shook his clothes and said to them: “Your blood be upon your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

7 So Paul left [the Jewish meeting place] and went into a house that was next to it, [and preached there]. Titius Justus, the owner of the house, was a non-Jewish man who had accepted what the Jews believe.

So he moved from there into the house of a man named Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

8 [After that], the ruler of the Jewish meeting place, [whose name was] Crispus, and all of his family [MTY] believed in the Lord [Jesus]. Many other people in Corinth who listened [to Paul] also believed [in Jesus]. Then they were baptized. [But there were people who still opposed Paul and his preaching].

Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household; and as they were hearing, many of the Corinthians were believing and being baptized.

9 One night Paul had a vision in which the Lord [Jesus] said to him, “Do not be afraid [of those who oppose you]. Instead, you should continue speaking [to people about me]. Do not stop,

Now the Lord said to Paul by a vision at night: “Do not be afraid; rather speak and do not keep silent,

10 because I [will help] you, and no one will be able to harm you [(sg) here. Keep telling people about me], because there are many in this city who will [believe in] me.”

because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching people the message from God [about Jesus].

So he stayed on for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them.

12 When Gallio was the [Roman] governor of Achaia [province], the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] there got together and seized Paul. They took him before Gallio [and accused him],

Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat,

13 saying, “This man is teaching people [a false religion, leading them] to worship God in ways that are contrary to our [Jewish] laws.”

saying, “This fellow persuades the people to worship God contrary to the law.”

14 When Paul was about to speak [MTY] [to defend himself], Gallio said to the Jews, “If this man had acted deceitfully or disobeyed [any of our Roman] laws, I would listen [patiently] to what you Jews [want to tell me].

But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews: “If there really was some misdeed or wicked crime, O Jews, there would be reason for me to bear with you;

15 However, you are merely arguing about words and names and your own [Jewish] laws, so you yourselves need to resolve this. I refuse to judge these things!”

but since it is an issue over a word and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; because I refuse to be a judge of such matters.”

16 After Gallio [had said that], he [commanded some soldiers/guards] that [they] expel those [Jewish leaders] from the courtroom.

And he drove them from the judgment seat.

17 Then [the mob outside] grabbed the leader of the Jewish meeting place, Sosthenes [because they considered that he was responsible for those accusations against Paul]. They beat him, right there in front of the courthouse. But Gallio did nothing about it.

Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was a delay to Gallio.

18 Paul stayed on with the believers in Corinth for (many days/some time). Then he left the believers there, and went with Priscilla and [her husband] Aquila. They went down to Cenchrea, [a port city]. There Paul had his head shaved {[someone] shave his head} in order to partially complete a vow that he had taken. Then they got on a ship and sailed for Syria [province].

Paul still remained there a good while, then took leave of the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila (he had shaved his head in Cenchrea, because he had a vow).

19 They arrived at Ephesus [city], and Priscilla and Aquila stayed there. [Before Paul left Ephesus], he entered the Jewish meeting place and lectured to the Jews.

He came to Ephesus and left them there (after having entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews).

20 They asked him to stay longer, but he refused.

When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent;

21 But, as he left, he told them, “I will come back, if God wills/desires [me to do that].” Then, [because he wanted to be in Jerusalem to finish completing his vow], he got on [a ship that] sailed from Ephesus.

rather he took leave of them saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

22 When the ship arrived at Caesarea, Paul [got off. He] went up [to Jerusalem] and greeted the believers there. Then he went back down to Antioch [city in Syria province].

When he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church [in Jerusalem], he returned to Antioch.

23 Paul spent some time [with the believers] there. Then he left Antioch and traveled to several towns [that he had visited previously] in Galatia and Phrygia [provinces]. He taught all of the believers more [of the message from God about Jesus].

After spending some time there, he departed and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

24 [While Paul was traveling in Galatia and Phrygia], a Jewish man whose name was Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria [city]. He [spoke eloquently] and he knew the Scriptures thoroughly.

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus.

25 [Other believers] had taught him [some things] about how the Lord [Jesus desires that people] should conduct themselves, and he taught those things very enthusiastically [to people. He had heard about] some of the things that Jesus did and said, and he taught those facts accurately [to people. However, he was teaching incompletely about Jesus, because] he knew only what John [the Baptizer had taught people whom he] baptized.

This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the Spirit he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

26 Apollos went to the Jewish meeting place, and he told the people there very confidently the things that he had learned. When Priscilla and Aquila heard what Apollos taught, they invited him [to their home]. There they explained more accurately to him the way [that] God [gives people eternal life].

So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

27 When Apollos decided that he would like to go to Achaia [province], the believers in Ephesus told him that it would be good for him to do that. So they wrote a letter to the believers [in Achaia saying that they] should welcome Apollos. [So Apollos got on a ship to go to Corinth]. After he arrived, he greatly helped those whom [God] had kindly enabled to believe [in Jesus].

When he decided to go across into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to receive him; upon arriving he was a great help to those who had believed through the Grace;

28 Apollos was vigorously arguing publicly with [the leaders of] the Jews while many other people listened. [By quoting] from the Scriptures, he proved to people that Jesus was the Messiah.

because he kept refuting the Jews vigorously, publicly, demonstrating Jesus to be the Christ, from the Scriptures.