Acts 18
Summary for Acts 18:1-17: 18:1-17 a Paul spent eighteen fruitful months preaching and teaching in Corinth, first in the synagogue and then next door in the house of Titius Justus (18:1-11 b). Then, in court, Paul won a significant victory over his enemies (18:12-17 c). 18:1 d In Roman times, Greek political power in Achaia resided in Corinth, a prominent city-state and major commercial city. Corinth was notorious for its prostitution, immorality, and drunkenness (see 1 Corinthians Book Introduction, “Setting”). Paul invested much time and effort establishing a Christian community in Corinth (see study note on Acts 16:8).Summary for Acts 18:2-3: 18:2-3 e The edict of Claudius Caesar that had deported all Jews from Rome around AD 49 is mentioned by the Roman historian Suetonius (Life of Claudius 25).
• Aquila and Priscilla became an outstanding husband-and-wife team in the early church. They earned their living as tentmakers, as did Paul, who probably lived and worked with them during his year and a half in Corinth (18:11 f; see Rom 16:3-4 g; 1 Cor 16:19 h).
• just as he was: Paul would have been trained as a tentmaker as a young man. It was Jewish custom to provide sons with a manual trade, including young men who intended to become rabbis or other professionals.
Summary for Acts 18:4-6: 18:4-6 i Once again Paul followed his custom of preaching to the Jews first, and then reaching out to Gentiles after he met with rejection and opposition (13:42-49 j; see 3:25-26 k; 26:20 l; Rom 1:16 m; 2:10 n; 3:29 o, 30 p; 4:9-12 q).
• Paul probably wrote his letters to the Thessalonian Christians after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia with a report of how things were going there (see 1 Thes 3:6 r; 2 Thessalonians Book Introduction, “Setting”).
18:7 s Titius Justus (“Titus the Just”) was a Gentile who worshiped God (a “God-fearer”; see study note on 10:2). Because Titus was a common Roman name, Justus differentiates him from the better-known Titus, Paul’s co-worker (2 Cor 2:13 t; 7:6 u, 13 v; 8:6 w, 16 x, 23 y; Titus).
Summary for Acts 18:9-10: 18:9-10 z Paul had experienced real opposition in Corinth (18:6 aa) and apparently was afraid of being attacked again, so the divine message was a comfort to him (cp. 23:11 ab; Ps 34:4 ac, 7 ad, 19 ae; Matt 28:20 af), encouraging him to persist in his public ministry and promising God’s protection (cp. Ps 91:11 ag; 2 Tim 4:17 ah).
Summary for Acts 18:12-13: 18:12-13 ai The governor of Achaia, Junio Gallio, was the older brother of the Roman philosopher Seneca (Seneca was a tutor to Emperor Nero). An inscription indicating that he was governor around AD 51–52 helps to date Paul’s visit in Corinth to about that time.
Summary for Acts 18:14-17: 18:14-17 aj Gallio’s ruling indicated that the charges against Paul were unjustified. The Roman government had nothing to fear from acknowledging Christianity as a legal religion.
18:17 ak It is most likely that the Greeks beat Sosthenes to express their hostility to the Jews; it is possible that the Jews attacked their own synagogue leader because he was unsuccessful in pleading their case. Sosthenes may be the same man Paul later mentions as “our brother” (1 Cor 1:1 al), but it is uncertain, as the name was fairly common.
18:18 am Cenchrea was a seaport located on the Aegean Sea, roughly five miles (8 km) east of Corinth. It was here that Paul shaved his head according to Jewish custom to mark the completion of a temporary Nazirite vow (cp. 21:23-24 an; see Num 6:1-21 ao; Judg 13:4-7 ap; 16:1 aq; Amos 2:11-12 ar; Luke 1:15 as).
Summary for Acts 18:19-23: 18:19-23 at Paul made a quick stop at Ephesus, the most important city in the Roman province of Asia. There he left the others behind, including Priscilla and Aquila (18:26 au). He sailed to Judea, landing at Caesarea, the headquarters of the Roman forces of occupation. After a visit to the church at Jerusalem, Paul returned to Antioch, the church that had originally commissioned him. This marked the end of his second missionary journey. In Antioch, he spent a rewarding time of reporting what God had done through him and his colleagues, sharing the excitement and challenges of their work with the home church. Then after ... some time, Paul began his third missionary journey. He went by land rather than by sea, traveling through Galatia and Phrygia and revisiting believers whom he had led to faith in Christ on his previous trips. It was important to him that these young converts not be left to founder and shipwreck their faith (see Eph 6:10-20 av; 1 Tim 1:18-20 aw; 2 Tim 1:15 ax; 4:10 ay).
18:21 az “I will come back later”: Paul later spent significant time in Ephesus during his third missionary journey (19:1–20:1 ba; see 19:8 bb, 10 bc).
Summary for Acts 18:23-19:41: 18:23–19:41 bd This section describes Paul’s third missionary journey (about AD 53–57). Paul revisited Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples (18:23 be). He then traveled to Ephesus (19:1 bf), where he remained for over two years (19:8-10 bg). 18:23 bh Paul wanted to keep in touch with earlier converts and strengthen their faith.
Summary for Acts 18:24-26: 18:24-26 bi Alexandria, the second-largest city in the Roman Empire, was famous for its rhetorical tradition and the philosophical work of Philo. Apollos was an eloquent speaker with an excellent knowledge of the Scriptures (the Old Testament). His knowledge about Jesus and the Holy Spirit was inadequate, though. He did not understand that believers could experience and enjoy the power of the Holy Spirit as a present energizing reality. Fortunately, Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and corrected his spiritual understanding.
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