Discovery BoxActs 18:1-27
Context18:1 After this 1 Paul 2 departed from 3 Athens 4 and went to Corinth. 5 18:2 There he 6 found 7 a Jew named Aquila, 8 a native of Pontus, 9 who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius 10 had ordered all the Jews to depart from 11 Rome. 12 Paul approached 13 them, 18:3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them 14 (for they were tentmakers 15 by trade). 16 18:4 He addressed 17 both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue 18 every Sabbath, attempting to persuade 19 them.
18:5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived 20 from Macedonia, 21 Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming 22 the word, testifying 23 to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 24 18:6 When they opposed him 25 and reviled him, 26 he protested by shaking out his clothes 27 and said to them, “Your blood 28 be on your own heads! I am guiltless! 29 From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 18:7 Then Paul 30 left 31 the synagogue 32 and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, 33 whose house was next door to the synagogue. 18:8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, 34 believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it 35 believed and were baptized. 18:9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision 36 in the night, 37 “Do not be afraid, 38 but speak and do not be silent, 18:10 because I am with you, and no one will assault 39 you to harm 40 you, because I have many people in this city.” 18:11 So he stayed there 41 a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 42
18:12 Now while Gallio 43 was proconsul 44 of Achaia, 45 the Jews attacked Paul together 46 and brought him before the judgment seat, 47 18:13 saying, “This man is persuading 48 people to worship God in a way contrary to 49 the law!” 18:14 But just as Paul was about to speak, 50 Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, 51 I would have been justified in accepting the complaint 52 of you Jews, 53 18:15 but since it concerns points of disagreement 54 about words and names and your own law, settle 55 it yourselves. I will not be 56 a judge of these things!” 18:16 Then he had them forced away 57 from the judgment seat. 58 18:17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, 59 and began to beat 60 him in front of the judgment seat. 61 Yet none of these things were of any concern 62 to Gallio.
18:18 Paul, after staying 63 many more days in Corinth, 64 said farewell to 65 the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by 66 Priscilla and Aquila. 67 He 68 had his hair cut off 69 at Cenchrea 70 because he had made a vow. 71 18:19 When they reached Ephesus, 72 Paul 73 left Priscilla and Aquila 74 behind there, but he himself went 75 into the synagogue 76 and addressed 77 the Jews. 18:20 When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent, 78 18:21 but said farewell to 79 them and added, 80 “I will come back 81 to you again if God wills.” 82 Then 83 he set sail from Ephesus, 18:22 and when he arrived 84 at Caesarea, 85 he went up and greeted 86 the church at Jerusalem 87 and then went down to Antioch. 88 18:23 After he spent 89 some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia 90 and Phrygia, 91 strengthening all the disciples.
18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. 92 He was an eloquent speaker, 93 well-versed 94 in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in 95 the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm 96 he spoke and taught accurately the facts 97 about Jesus, although he knew 98 only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly 99 in the synagogue, 100 but when Priscilla and Aquila 101 heard him, they took him aside 102 and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 18:27 When Apollos 103 wanted to cross over to Achaia, 104 the brothers encouraged 105 him 106 and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he 107 assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,
[18:1] 1 tn Grk “After these things.”
[18:1] 2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:1] 4 map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.
[18:1] 5 sn Corinth was the capital city of the senatorial province of Achaia and the seat of the Roman proconsul. It was located 55 mi (88 km) west of Athens. Corinth was a major rival to Athens and was the largest city in Greece at the time.
[18:2] 6 tn Grk “And he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[18:2] 7 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:2] 8 sn On Aquila and his wife Priscilla see also Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. This author uses the full name Priscilla, while Paul uses the diminutive form Prisca.
[18:2] 9 sn Pontus was a region in the northeastern part of Asia Minor. It was a Roman province.
[18:2] 10 sn Claudius refers to the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from
[18:2] 12 map For location see JP4 A1.
[18:3] 14 tn The prepositional phrase “with them” occurs only once in the Greek text, but since it occurs between the two finite verbs (ἔμενεν, emenen, and ἠργάζετο, hrgazeto) it relates (by implication) to both of them.
[18:3] 15 tn On the term translated “tentmakers,” see BDAG 928-29 s.v. σκνηοποιός. Paul apparently manufactured tents. In contrast to the Cynic philosophers, Paul at times labored to support himself (see also v. 5).
[18:3] 16 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[18:4] 17 tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:4. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.
[18:4] 18 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[18:4] 19 tn Grk “Addressing in the synagogue every Sabbath, he was attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks.” Because in English the verb “address” is not used absolutely but normally has an object specified, the direct objects of the verb ἔπειθεν (epeiqen) have been moved forward as the objects of the English verb “addressed,” and the pronoun “them” repeated in the translation as the object of ἔπειθεν. The verb ἔπειθεν has been translated as a conative imperfect.
[18:5] 21 sn Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
[18:5] 22 tn BDAG 971 s.v. συνέχω 6 states, “συνείχετο τῷ λόγῳ (Paul) was wholly absorbed in preaching Ac 18:5…in contrast to the activity cited in vs. 3.” The imperfect συνείχετο (suneiceto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“became wholly absorbed…”), stressing the change in Paul’s activity once Silas and Timothy arrived. At this point Paul apparently began to work less and preach more.
[18:5] 23 tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 2 has “testify of, bear witness to solemnly (orig. under oath)…W. acc. and inf. foll. Ac 18:5.”
[18:5] 24 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[18:6] 25 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[18:6] 26 tn The participle βλασφημούντων (blasfhmountwn) has been taken temporally. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 13:45. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). What they were doing was more like slander or defamation of character.
[18:6] 27 tn Grk “shaking out his clothes, he said to them.” L&N 16:8 translates Acts 18:6 “when they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust from his clothes.” The addition of the verb “protested by” in the translation is necessary to clarify for the modern reader that this is a symbolic action. It is similar but not identical to the phrase in Acts 13:51, where the dust from the feet is shaken off. The participle ἐκτιναξάμενος (ektinaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:6] 28 sn Your blood be on your own heads! By invoking this epithet Paul declared himself not responsible for their actions in rejecting Jesus whom Paul preached (cf. Ezek 33:4; 3:6-21; Matt 23:35; 27:25).
[18:6] 29 tn Or “innocent.” BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a has “guiltless Ac 18:6.”
[18:7] 30 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:7] 31 tn Grk “Then leaving from there he went.” The participle μεταβάς (metabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:7] 32 tn Grk “from there”; the referent (the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:7] 33 tn Grk “a worshiper of God.” The clarifying phrase “a Gentile” has been supplied for clarity, and is indicated by the context, since Paul had parted company with the Jews in the previous verse. The participle σεβομένου (sebomenou) is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44.
[18:8] 34 tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).
[18:8] 35 tn Or “who heard him,” or “who heard Paul.” The ambiguity here results from the tendency of Greek to omit direct objects, which must be supplied from the context. The problem is that no less than three different ones may be supplied here: (1) “him,” referring to Crispus, but this is not likely because there is no indication in the context that Crispus began to speak out about the Lord; this is certainly possible and even likely, but more than the text here affirms; (2) “Paul,” who had been speaking in the synagogue and presumably, now that he had moved to Titius Justus’ house, continued speaking to the Gentiles; or (3) “about it,” that is, the Corinthians who heard about Crispus’ conversion became believers. In the immediate context this last is most probable, since the two incidents are juxtaposed. Other, less obvious direct objects could also be supplied, such as “heard the word of God,” “heard the word of the Lord,” etc., but none of these are obvious in the immediate context.
[18:9] 36 sn Frequently in Acts such a vision will tell the reader where events are headed. See Acts 10:9-16 and 16:9-10 for other accounts of visions.
[18:9] 37 tn BDAG 682 s.v. νύξ 1.c has “W. prep. ἐν ν. at night, in the night…Ac 18:9.”
[18:9] 38 tn The present imperative here (with negation) is used (as it normally is) of a general condition (BDF §335).
[18:10] 39 tn BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 2 has “to set upon, attack, lay a hand on” here, but “assault” is a contemporary English equivalent very close to the meaning of the original.
[18:11] 41 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[18:11] 42 tn See BDAG 326-27 s.v. ἐν 1.d. However, it is also possible that ἐν (en) followed by the dative here stands for the ordinary dative (“to them”).
[18:12] 43 sn Gallio was proconsul of Achaia from
[18:12] 44 sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.
[18:12] 45 sn Achaia was a Roman province created in 146
[18:12] 46 tn Grk “with one accord.”
[18:12] 47 tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “tribunal” for this verse and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“court,” NIV; “tribunal,” NRSV), there is no need for an alternative translation here since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time.
[18:13] 49 tn Grk “worship God contrary to.” BDAG 758 s.v. παρά C.6 has “against, contrary to” for Acts 18:13. The words “in a way” are not in the Greek text, but are a necessary clarification to prevent the misunderstanding in the English translation that worshiping God was in itself contrary to the law. What is under dispute is the manner in which God was being worshiped, that is, whether Gentiles were being required to follow all aspects of the Mosaic law, including male circumcision. There is a hint of creating public chaos or disturbing Jewish custom here since Jews were the ones making the complaint. Luke often portrays the dispute between Christians and Jews as within Judaism.
[18:14] 50 tn Grk “about to open his mouth” (an idiom).
[18:14] 51 tn BDAG 902 s.v. ῥᾳδιούργημα states, “From the sense ‘prank, knavery, roguish trick, slick deed’ it is but a short step to that of a serious misdeed, crime, villainy…a serious piece of villainy Ac 18:14 (w. ἀδίκημα).”
[18:14] 52 tn According to BDAG 78 s.v. ἀνέχω 3 this is a legal technical term: “Legal t.t. κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἀνεσχόμην ὑμῶν I would have been justified in accepting your complaint Ac 18:14.”
[18:14] 53 tn Grk “accepting your complaint, O Jews.”
[18:15] 55 tn Grk “see to it” (an idiom).
[18:15] 56 tn Or “I am not willing to be.” Gallio would not adjudicate their religious dispute.
[18:16] 57 tn Grk “driven away,” but this could result in a misunderstanding in English (“driven” as in a cart or wagon?). “Forced away” conveys the idea; Gallio rejected their complaint. In contemporary English terminology the case was “thrown out of court.” The verb ἀπήλασεν (aphlasen) has been translated as a causative since Gallio probably did not perform this action in person, but ordered his aides or officers to remove the plaintiffs.
[18:16] 58 sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.
[18:17] 59 tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “leader/president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93).
[18:17] 60 tn The imperfect verb ἔτυπτον (etupton) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[18:17] 61 sn See the note on the term judgment seat in 18:12.
[18:17] 62 tn L&N 25.223 has “‘none of these things were of any concern to Gallio’ Ac 18:17.”
[18:18] 63 tn The participle προσμείνας (prosmeina") is taken temporally.
[18:18] 64 map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.
[18:18] 65 tn Or “Corinth, took leave of.” Grk “saying farewell to”; the participle ἀποταξάμενος (apotaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:18] 66 tn Grk “Syria, and with him.”
[18:18] 67 sn See the note on Aquila in 18:2.
[18:18] 68 tn Or “Aquila, who.” The relationship of the participle κειράμενος (keirameno") is difficult to determine. Traditionally it is taken to refer to Paul, meaning that Paul had his hair cut off because of the vow. However, due to the proximity of the noun ᾿Ακύλας (Akula") and the reversal of the normal order (Aquila and Priscilla, Acts 17:34), the participle is taken as adjectival referring to Aquila by H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, n. 11. The later references to Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:23) do not resolve the problem, because the cutting of Paul’s own hair, while it may be implied, is not specifically mentioned in connection with the completion of the vows made by the other four.
[18:18] 69 tn The word “off” is supplied in the translation to indicate that this was not a normal haircut, but the shaving of the head connected with taking the vow (see Acts 21:24).
[18:18] 70 tn That is, “before he sailed from Cenchrea.”
[18:18] 71 sn He had made a vow. It is debated whether this vow is a private vow of thanksgiving or the Nazirite vow, because it is not clear whether the Nazirite vow could be taken outside Jerusalem. Some have cited the Mishnah (m. Nazir 3:6, 5:4) to argue that the shaving of the hair can occur outside Jerusalem, and Josephus, J. W. 2.15.1 (2.313) is sometimes suggested as a parallel, but these references are not clear. H. Greeven, TDNT 2:777, is certain that this refers to the Nazirite vow. Regardless, it is clear that Paul reflected his pious dependence on God.
[18:19] 72 sn Ephesus was an influential city in Asia Minor. It was the location of the famous temple of Artemis. In 334
[18:19] 73 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:19] 74 tn Grk “left them”; the referents (Priscilla and Aquila) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:19] 75 tn Grk “going”; the participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:19] 76 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[18:19] 77 tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 18:19. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.
[18:20] 78 sn He would not consent. Paul probably refused because he wanted to reach Jerusalem for the festival season before the seas became impassable during the winter.
[18:21] 79 tn Or “but took leave of.”
[18:21] 80 tn Grk “and saying”; the participle εἰπών (eipwn) has been translated as “added” rather than “said” to avoid redundancy with the previous “said farewell.” The participle εἰπών has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:21] 81 tn Or “will return.”
[18:21] 82 tn The participle θέλοντος (qelontos), a genitive absolute construction, has been translated as a conditional adverbial participle. Again Paul acts in dependence on God.
[18:21] 83 tn A new sentence was begun here in the translation due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the requirements of contemporary English style, which generally uses shorter sentences.
[18:22] 84 tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “arrive, put in, nautical t.t. of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’…εἴς τι at someth. a harbor Ac 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”
[18:22] 85 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1. This was a sea voyage of 620 mi (990 km).
[18:22] 86 tn Grk “going up and greeting.” The participles ἀναβάς (anabas) and ἀσπασάμενος (aspasameno") are translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[18:22] 87 tn The words “at Jerusalem” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the participle ἀναβάς (anabas). The expression “go up” refers almost exclusively to the direction of Jerusalem, while the corresponding “go down” (κατέβη, katebh) refers to directions away from Jerusalem. Both expressions are based on a Hebrew idiom. Assuming Jerusalem is meant, this is another indication of keeping that key church informed. If Jerusalem is not referred to here, then Caesarea is in view. Paul was trying to honor a vow, which also implies a visit to Jerusalem.
[18:22] 88 sn Went down to Antioch. The city of Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude). This marks the end of the second missionary journey which began in Acts 15:36. From Caesarea to Antioch is a journey of 280 mi (450 km).
[18:23] 89 tn Grk “Having spent”; the participle ποιήσας (poihsas) is taken temporally.
[18:23] 90 sn Galatia refers to either (1) the region of the old kingdom of Galatia in the central part of Asia Minor, or (2) the Roman province of Galatia, whose principal cities in the 1st century were Ancyra and Pisidian Antioch. The exact extent and meaning of this area has been a subject of considerable controversy in modern NT studies.
[18:23] 91 sn Phrygia was a district in central Asia Minor west of Pisidia. See Acts 16:6.
[18:24] 92 map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
[18:24] 93 tn Or “was a learned man.” In this verse λόγιος (logios) can refer to someone who was an attractive and convincing speaker, a rhetorician (L&N 33.32), or it can refer to the person who has acquired a large part of the intellectual heritage of a given culture (“learned” or “cultured,” L&N 27.20, see also BDAG 598 s.v. λόγιος which lists both meanings as possible here). The description of Apollos’ fervent speaking in the following verses, as well as implications from 1 Cor 1-4, where Paul apparently compares his style and speaking ability with that of Apollos, suggests that eloquent speaking ability or formal rhetorical skill are in view here. This clause has been moved from its order in the Greek text (Grk “a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus, who was powerful in the scriptures”) and paired with the last element (“powerful in the scriptures”) due to the demands of clarity and contemporary English style.
[18:24] 94 tn Grk “powerful.” BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b has “in the Scriptures = well-versed 18:24.”
[18:25] 95 tn Or “had been taught.”
[18:25] 96 tn Grk “and boiling in spirit” (an idiom for great eagerness or enthusiasm; BDAG 426 s.v. ζέω).
[18:25] 97 tn Grk “the things.”
[18:25] 98 tn Grk “knowing”; the participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistameno") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
[18:26] 99 tn Or “boldly.” This is a frequent term in Acts (9:27-28; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26).
[18:26] 100 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
[18:26] 101 sn Priscilla and Aquila. This key couple, of which Priscilla was an important enough figure to be mentioned by name, instructed Apollos about the most recent work of God. See also the note on Aquila in 18:2.
[18:26] 102 tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσλαμβάνω 3 has “take aside, mid. τινά someone…So prob. also Ac 18:26: Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside to teach him undisturbed.”
[18:27] 103 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Apollos) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:27] 104 sn To cross over to Achaia. Achaia was organized by the Romans as a separate province in 27
[18:27] 105 tn Grk “encouraging [him], the brothers wrote.” The participle προτρεψάμενοι (protreyamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. This was the typical letter of commendation from the Ephesians to the Achaeans.
[18:27] 106 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
[18:27] 107 tn Grk “who, when he arrived.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced with the pronoun “he” and a new sentence begun in the translation.
