1 ARST After that, Paul left the city of Athens and went to the city of Corinth. BSB BSB: After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
2 ARST In Corinth Paul met a Jew whose name was Aquila. He was from the region of Pontus. Aquila and his wife Priscilla had recently come from the city of Rome in Italy. They left Rome because Claudius, the Roman emperor, had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul introduced himself to Aquila and Priscilla. BSB BSB: There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,
3 ARST Aquila and Priscilla made tents to earn money. Paul also made tents. So he stayed with them and they worked together. BSB BSB: and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.
4 ARST Every Sabbath, Paul went to the Jewish meeting place. There he conversed with both Jews and non- Jews. He helped many of them to believe in Jesus. BSB BSB: Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.
5 ARST When Silas and Timothy arrived from the region of Macedonia, Paul felt strongly that he should devote all of his time to proclaiming the good news. So he kept telling the Jews sincerely that Jesus was the Messiah. BSB BSB: And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
6 ARST But the Jews argued with Paul and said bad things about him. So he shook the dust off his clothes{ to show that he wanted to have nothing to do with them any more}. He said to them,“If God punishes you, it is your responsibility! I have done everything I could to show you the truth! From now on I will talk to people who are not Jewish!” BSB BSB: But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 ARST So Paul left the Jewish meeting place and went into a house that was next to it, and he preached there. Titius Justus, the owner of the house, was a non- Jewish man who worshiped God. BSB BSB: So Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titus Justus, a worshiper of God.
8 ARST After that, the ruler of the Jewish meeting place, whose name was Crispus, and all of his family believed in Jesus. Many other people in Corinth heard about Crispus and his family. They also believed in Jesus and Paul baptized them. BSB BSB: Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.
9 ARST One night Paul had a vision in which Jesus spoke to him. He said,“Do not be afraid{ of the people who are against you}. Keep telling people about me. BSB BSB: One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.
10 ARST { You can keep speaking confidently} because I will help you. No one will be able to attack you and hurt you, because there are many people in this city who love me{ and will defend you}.” BSB BSB: For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.”
11 ARST So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half. He shared the good news about Jesus with the people there. BSB BSB: So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching the word of God among the Corinthians.
13 ARST They said,“This man is teaching people to worship God in ways that Roman law does not permit.” BSB BSB: “This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.
14 ARST Paul was about to say something to defend himself. But Gallio said to the Jewish leaders,“If this man had done something terribly wrong that broke our Roman laws, naturally I would listen to what you Jews want to tell me. BSB BSB: But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If this matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to hear your complaint.
15 ARST However, you are only complaining about things that Paul has been saying. You are arguing about who deserves what name. These are disputes about your own Jewish laws. So you must settle this yourselves. These are not the kind of things that deserve my attention!” BSB BSB: But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”
16 ARST After Gallio said that, he told some soldiers to make the Jewish leaders leave the court. BSB BSB: And he drove them away from the judgment seat.
17 ARST But instead of leaving right away, the Jewish leaders grabbed the man who was in charge of their synagogue. His name was Sosthenes. They beat him right there in front of the judge’ s seat{ because they thought Paul had persuaded him to believe in Jesus}. Gallio did nothing to stop them. BSB BSB: At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
18 ARST Paul stayed with the believers in Corinth for many more days. Then he got on a ship with Priscilla and Aquila and sailed for the province of Syria.{ Paul left Silas and Timothy in Corinth.} He got his hair cut off in Cenchrea because of a vow that he had made. BSB BSB: Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.
19 ARST They arrived at the city of Ephesus, and Priscilla and Aquila stayed there. Paul himself entered the Jewish meeting place and had conversations with the Jews there about Jesus. BSB BSB: When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.
20 ARST They asked him to stay longer, but he told them that he could not stay. BSB BSB: When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.
21 ARST But as Paul left, he told the Jews in Ephesus,“I promise that I will come back if God wants me to.” Then Paul got on a ship and sailed away from Ephesus. BSB BSB: But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
22 ARST When the ship came to the city of Caesarea, Paul got off. He went from there to Jerusalem and visited with the believers there. Then he returned to the city of Antioch{, where he had begun his trip}. BSB BSB: When Paul had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem. Then he went down to Antioch.
23 ARST Paul remained for some time with the believers in Antioch. Then he left and traveled to many cities in the regions of Galatia and Phrygia. He helped the believers in each city to believe more steadfastly in Jesus. BSB BSB: After Paul had spent some time in Antioch, he traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 ARST While Paul was going through Galatia and Phrygia, a Jewish man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was from the city of Alexandria, and he spoke very well. He had carefully studied the Scriptures. BSB BSB: Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures.
25 ARST Other believers had taught Apollos how Jesus wanted people to live. He enthusiastically taught those things correctly to the people in Ephesus. However, he was not teaching everything about Jesus. He only knew that John the Baptizer had said to repent and receive baptism to get ready for Jesus the Messiah. BSB BSB: He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
27 ARST When Apollos decided that he would like to go to the region of Achaia, the believers in Ephesus told him that it would be good for him to do that. So they wrote a letter to the believers in Achaia saying that they should welcome Apollos. After he got there, he did much to help those whom God had kindly enabled to believe in Jesus. BSB BSB: When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
28 ARST The leaders of the Jews were denying that Jesus was the Messiah. But as many other people listened, Apollos showed convincingly that they were wrong. He did that by proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. BSB BSB: For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.