Act 18-19 | 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”).
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.

‏ Acts 19

Summary for Acts 19:1-7: 19:1-7 ^bj Paul traveled to Ephesus after Apollos had left. Subsequently, Apollos returned to Ephesus while Paul was still working there (1 Cor 16:12 ^bk). The two men had different personalities, gifts, and roles, but God worked through both of them.

• Some believers in Ephesus still had an inadequate understanding of the Christian faith (cp. Acts 18:26 ^bl) and did not receive the Holy Spirit when they believed. They had accepted John’s baptism, which called for repentance from sin, but had not received Christian baptism, which included the gift of the Holy Spirit. When Paul had instructed them further, they were able to receive Christian baptism (19:5 ^bm) and the Holy Spirit (19:6 ^bn).
19:6 ^bo When Paul laid his hands on them they received the Holy Spirit, spoke in other tongues and prophesied, thereby experiencing the same filling with God’s power and presence that the disciples had received on the day of Pentecost (2:4 ^bp, 11 ^bq).
19:10 ^br Paul probably wrote 1 Corinthians during this time (see 1 Corinthians Book Introduction, “Date and Occasion of Writing”).
Summary for Acts 19:11-12: 19:11-12 ^bs Paul, like other Christian evangelists (3:1-11 ^bt; 4:22 ^bu; 5:12-16 ^bv; 6:8 ^bw; 8:6-7 ^bx, 13 ^by; 9:33-42 ^bz), performed unusual miracles.

• evil spirits were expelled: As Jesus and Peter had done (cp. 5:16 ^ca; Mark 1:21-34 ^cb; Luke 4:31-37 ^cc).
Summary for Acts 19:13-16: 19:13-16 ^cd Paul’s effectiveness is contrasted with the impotence of the traveling Jewish exorcists, who used the name of Jesus as though it were magical but did not have a relationship with him or the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (cp. Matt 12:27 ^ce; Mark 9:38-39 ^cf; Luke 9:49-50 ^cg; 11:19 ^ch).
Summary for Acts 19:17-19: 19:17-19 ^ci The contrast between Paul and the Jewish exorcists was not lost on the people of Ephesus, Jews and Greeks alike. The resulting fear caused the inhabitants to honor and respect the name of the Lord Jesus. It led many to confess and forsake their sinful practices, including sorcery.
19:20 ^cj Luke’s summary of the success of the Good News in Ephesus is short but pungent (cp. 2:43-47 ^ck; 5:14 ^cl; 6:7 ^cm; 9:31 ^cn; 12:24 ^co; 16:5 ^cp; see Rom 1:16 ^cq). When the Christian faith overcame problems of internal dissension, idolatry, and pagan practices, it spread widely and grew rapidly.
Summary for Acts 19:21-22: 19:21-22 ^cr felt compelled by the Spirit: No doubt Paul was troubled by what he had heard about the situation in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians Book Introduction). Instead of going immediately himself, he sent ... Timothy, who was carrying a letter, 1 Corinthians, from Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor 4:17 ^cs; 16:10-11 ^ct). Paul himself did go over to Macedonia and Achaia not long afterward (Acts 20:1-3 ^cu).

• “I must go on to Rome!”: Perhaps compelled by his proven strategy (see study note on 16:8), Paul wanted to proclaim the Good News in the most significant city in the world.
Summary for Acts 19:23-41: 19:23-41 ^cv The patron deity of Ephesus was the Greek goddess Artemis. Her birthplace was believed to be Ephesus, so Ephesus was the official guardian of the temple. Twice annually, elaborate festivals were held in her honor with athletic, musical, and theatrical celebrations that included singing Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! The temple of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Conversions to Christianity clearly damaged the worship of Artemis and the associated economic activity, but it became clear that Paul and his associates had committed no crime. 19:23 ^cw the Way: See study note on 9:2.
Summary for Acts 19:24-34: 19:24-34 ^cx Demetrius, a silversmith whose business was threatened by Paul’s proclaiming faith in one God, whipped up a major riot against him. 19:24 ^cy Silver coins and shrines carrying the image of Artemis were minted in Ephesus; statuettes of the goddess were used in civic processions and are still sold there today.
19:27 ^cz all around the world: The ancient geographer Strabo reports that temples dedicated to Artemis existed in cities from Asia Minor (now Turkey) to what is now France and Spain (Strabo, Geography 3.4.8; 4.1.4).
19:29 ^da Archaeologists have excavated the amphitheater where the whole city assembled; it held 24,000 people.
19:31 ^db Some of the officials of the province (Greek Asiarchai, “rulers of Asia”): The “Asiarchs” were the appointed leaders in the Roman province of Asia. They served as civic benefactors and usually championed the emperor cult. Some of these officials in high places were friends of Paul—Luke highlights that Christianity was attractive to people of high standing in society.
Summary for Acts 19:35-41: 19:35-41 ^dc The demonstration was finally quelled only when the mayor intervened and dismissed the assembly to prevent the city from being charged by the Roman government with rioting. This story demonstrates that Christians in the Roman world were entitled to legal due process. 19:35 ^dd The tradition that the image (statue) of Artemis had fallen from heaven might point to its having been carved from a meteor.