Acts 18

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

After this he left Athens and came 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.

Here he found a Jew, a native of Pontus, of the name of Aquila. He and his wife Priscilla had recently come from Italy because of Claudius's edict expelling all the Jews from Rome. So Paul paid them a visit;

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 was of the same trade--that of tent-maker--he lodged with them and worked with them.

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].

But, Sabbath after Sabbath, he preached in the synagogue and tried to win over both Jews and Greeks.

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.

Now at the time when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was preaching fervently and was solemnly telling the Jews that 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 upon their opposing him with abusive language, he shook his clothes by way of protest, and said to them, "Your ruin will be upon your own heads. I am not responsible: in future I will go among 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 left the place and went to the house of a person called Titius Justus, a worshipper of the true God. His 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].

And Crispus, the Warden of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, and so did all his household; and from time to time many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and received baptism.

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,

And, in a vision by night, the Lord said to Paul, "Dismiss your fears: go on speaking, and do not give up.

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.”

I am with you, and no one shall attack you to injure you; for I have very 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 Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six months, teaching among them the Message of God.

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],

But when Gallio became Proconsul of Greece, the Jews with one accord made a dead set at Paul, and brought him before the court.

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

"This man," they said, "is inducing people to offer unlawful worship to God."

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 begin his defence, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it had been some wrongful act or piece of cunning knavery I might reasonably have listened to you Jews.

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 these are questions about words and names and your Law, you yourselves must see to them. I refuse to be a judge in such matters."

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

So he ordered them out of court.

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 the people all set upon Sosthenes, the Warden of the synagogue, and beat him severely in front of the court. Gallio did not concern himself in the least about this.

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].

After remaining a considerable time longer in Corinth, Paul took leave of the brethren and set sail for Syria; and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had shaved his head at Cenchreae, because he was bound by 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.

They put in at Ephesus, and there Paul left his companions behind. As for himself, he went to the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews.

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

When they asked him to remain longer 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.

but took leave of them with the promise, "I will return to you, God willing." So 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].

Landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and inquired after the welfare of the Church, and then went down 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 in Antioch, Paul set out on a tour, visiting the whole of Galatia and Phrygia in order, and 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.

Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, a man of great learning and well versed in the Scriptures.

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.

He had been instructed by word of mouth in the way of the Lord, and, being full of burning zeal, he used to speak and teach accurately the facts about Jesus, though he knew of no baptism but John's.

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].

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and Priscilla and Aquila, after hearing him, took him home and explained God's way to him 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].

Then, as he had made up his mind to cross over into Greece, the brethren wrote to the disciples in Corinth begging them to give him a kindly welcome. Upon his arrival he rendered valuable help to those who through grace had believed;

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.

for he powerfully and in public overcame the Jews in argument, proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.