Act 18:1-4 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Acts 18:1-17: 18:1-17 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 ). Then, in court, Paul won a significant victory over his enemies (18:12-17 ). 18:1 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 18:1-17: 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”).