Acts 18

Chapter eighteen concludes the final leg of Paul’s second tour. After a disappointing response to the gospel in Athens, Paul moved west to Corinth, where he found a friendship with Aquila and Priscilla, Jews who had just been expelled from Rome (Acts 18:1-4). Not only did he share the gospel with them and the other Jews in the synagogue, but he was also able to work his trade with them. When Silas and Timothy finally arrived with good news from Macedonia, Paul’s mind was set at ease, and he threw himself into the work at Corinth (Acts 18:5-11). For at least 18 months, Paul preached the gospel with great response from both Jews and Gentiles.

Not everyone received his message well, though (Acts 18:6, 12-17). Some unbelieving Jews attacked Paul, dragging him to Gallio (around A.D. 52). As in Thessalonica, Gallio refused to get involved in a religious battle, so they beat one of the believing Jews right in front of him, while he ignored it. Shortly after this, Paul left Corinth (Acts 18:18-22). On his way back to Antioch and Jerusalem, he stopped in Ephesus, leaving Aquila and Priscilla there with a promise that he would return if God would allow him.

While Paul was back home, Apollos from Alexandria, Egypt, arrived in Ephesus. He was a brilliant orator and theologian, and he knew the facts about Christ but did not yet know of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 18:24-28). Aquila and Priscilla took him into their home and taught them what they had learned from Paul. This made him a powerful companion to the ministry, and he moved on to Achaia (Corinth and Athens) to serve the believers there.