1Paul worketh for his subsistence, and preacheth Christ at Corinth, first to the Jews, and, upon their opposing and blaspheming, to the Gentiles with more success: 9he is encouraged by the Lord in a vision, and abideth there a long time. 12The Jews accuse him before Gallio the deputy, who will have nothing to do with them. 18Paul passeth from city to city, confirming the disciples. 24Apollos, instructed more perfectly in the Christian doctrine by Aquila and Priscilla, preacheth it at Ephesus, and afterward in Achaia, with great efficacy.
1AFTER these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to 1Corinth;
1 The capital city of Achaia in Greece, situated between two seas, on the peninsula whereby Peloponnesus joined to Achaia. See in more detail of this city in 1 Cor. 1 on verse 2.
2And found a certain Jew named Aquila,a2born in 3Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that 4Claudius had 5commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
a Rom. 16:3; 1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Tim. 4:19.
2 Or, by descent, generation.
3 This was a region in Asia Minor, situated between Cappadocia and the Black Sea, Acts 2:9.
4 The Emperor of Rome.
5 Gr. had ordained. Of this command testify also the historians, Suetonius in The life of Claudius, cap. 25, Orosius, lib. 7, cap. 6. The reason is diversely set forth; it seems that it was therefore, because the Jews continually opposed with uproar those from among themselves who embraced the Christian religion; or because some notable persons of Rome committed themselves to the Christian religion. For, the heathen Romans held the Jews and Christians for a people of one religion.
3And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought:b for by their occupation they were 6tentmakers.
b Acts 20:34; 1 Cor. 4:12; 2 Cor. 11:9; 12:13; 1 Thes. 2:9; 2 Thes. 3:8.
6 Which at that time were most made or sowed of skins.
4And he 7reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and 8persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
7 Or, disputed. See Acts 17:2.
8 Namely, by good reasons and grounds taken out of the Holy Scripture to embrace His doctrine.
5And when Silas and Timotheus were come fromc Macedonia, Paul was 9pressed 10in the spirit, and 11testified to the Jews that Jesus was 12Christ.
c Acts 17:15.
9 That is, driven forward with a strong zeal.
10 Namely, either by the Holy Ghost, Who drove Paul forward, or by his own mind, which was inflamed with zeal.
11 Gr. powerfully, or every way testifying.
12 That is, the Anointed, the true Messiah, promised by the prophets.
6And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he 13shook hisd raiment, and said unto them, 14Your blood be upon your own heads; 15I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
13 This was a sign that they would have no more communion with them.
d Mat. 10:14; Acts 13:51.
14 That is, you pull down on your necks by your own fault the punishment, not only of temporal but also of eternal death. See of this phrase, Lev. 20:9, 12; 2 Sam. 1:16; Mat. 27:25.
15 Namely, from your blood and destruction, forasmuch as I have faithfully warned you of destruction, and showed you the way salvation, which you would not follow, Ezek. 33:8, 9; Acts 20:26.
7¶And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one 16that worshipped God, whose house 17joined hard to the synagogue.
16 That is, who was a proselyte. See Acts 13:43.
17 Wherefore he seems to have been willing to lodge there, by going over the street, to avoid the danger of an uproar of the unbelieving Jews.
8Ande18Crispus, 19the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
e 1 Cor. 1:14.
18 See of him, 1 Cor. 1:14.
19 See concerning the rulers of the synagogues, Mark 5:22; Acts 13:15.
9Thenf spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and 20hold not thy peace:
f Acts 23:11.
20 This is thus twice repeated, to give to understand that he should not be affrighted by any manner of trouble from speaking and preaching the Gospel boldly. See John 1:20.
10For I am 21with thee, and no man shall setg on thee to hurt thee: for I have 22much people in this city.
21 See Luke 1:66.
g set on: attack*
22 That is, many elect ones, who, by your preaching, shall be converted. See John 10:16.
11And he 23continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
23 Gr. sat there; namely at Corinth. Hebraism. See Mat. 4:16.
12¶And when 24Gallio was the 25deputy of 26Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
24 This was a brother of the famous L. Anneus Seneca, the schoolmaster of the Emperor Nero, as Seneca himself testifies, Praefatio, Quaestiones Naturales, lib. 4; he was first called M. Anneus Novatus, but being adopted for a son by C. Junius Gallio, he also took his name.
25 Gr. anthypateuon; that is, governing, instead of the mayor of Rome. See of this word in Acts 13:7; 19:38.
26 And also of all Greece, Pausanias.
13Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to 27the law.
27 Namely, of the Jews, to whom the Romans had permitted that they might continue in their law.
14And when Paul was now about to open his 28mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, Ifh it were a matter of wrong or 29wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, 30reason would that I should 31bear with you:
28 Namely, to defend himself.
h Acts 25:11.
29 Namely, of murder, theft, uproar or the like.
30 Or, according to reason; that is, as much as reason will permit; as much as shall be reasonable.
31 That is, hear you with patience and do you justice.
15But if it be a question of 32words and 33names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
32 Namely, which anyone has said or spoken amiss of your law or religion.
33 That is, if this difference be about certain titles which might be ascribed to any man.
16And he 34dravei them from the judgment seat.
34 That is, commanded them to depart right away.
i drove*
17Then all 35the Greeks took 36Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio 37cared for none of those things.
35 Namely, who were yet heathens and unbelievers as Gallio was.
36 Whether this Sosthenes be the same of whom is spoken in 1 Cor. 1:1, is uncertain.
37 Namely, out of contempt of the Jews, and of the Jewish and Christian religion.
18¶And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then 38took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence 39into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; 40having shornj41his head 42in Cenchrea: for he had 43a vow.
38 Namely, putting his own and the church’s affairs in order, as the Greek word implies. See Mark 6:46.
39 Namely, along the region which goes towards Syria.
40 Namely, as they did, who had made the promise of the Nazarites for a time, Num. 6:18, 19, 20.
j Num. 6:18; Acts 21:23.
41 Or, the head; for, the Greek word may be applied to both, as well to Paul as to Aquila.
42 This was the port of Corinth on the east of the city, as the port on the other side was called Lechea, Strabo, lib. 8.
43 Namely, of the Nazarites, which is described in Numbers 6, which vow some made for their life, others for a time, as was done here. The reason why this vow was made, see Acts 21:23, 24 and 1 Cor. 9:20, from which it appears that this was a vow, not to do God service thereby, but out of love to serve for the edification of the weak Jews, and to show that he was no despiser of the law.
19And he came to Ephesus, and 44left them 45there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
44 Namely, Aquila and Priscilla.
45 Namely, at Ephesus, to strengthen the Ephesians in the faith.
20When they desired him to tarry 46longer time with them, he consented not;
46 Gr. for more time.
21But bade them farewell, saying, I must 47by all means keep this 48feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, ifk God will. And he 49sailed from Ephesus.
47 That is, necessarily, by all means.
48 He has wanted to be at this feast, not because he thought that the Jewish feast days must yet be observed; for, he teaches this to the contrary, Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16, but because he would find at that feast occasion to preach the Gospel to many, who by reason of the feast would be there together.
k 1 Cor. 4:19; Heb. 6:3; James 4:15.
49 Gr. he was driven towards the height, that is, towards the deep, over the sea.
22And when he had landed at 50Cæsarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to 51Antioch.
50 Namely, situated in Palestine, Acts 10:1.
51 Namely, situated in Syria.
23And after he had 52spent some time there, he departed, and 53went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
52 Gr. had made. See Acts 15:33 and 20:3; 2 Cor. 11:25; James 4:13.
53 Namely, to visit them from one church to another.
24¶And a certain Jew named Apollos,l born at Alexandria, an 54eloquent man, and 55mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
l 1 Cor. 1:12.
54 Or, well-spoken, who could speak well.
55 That is, very expert in the Scriptures, and qualified to interpret the same.
25This man was 56instructed 57in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only 58the baptism of John.
56 Gr. catechemenos; that is, by a lively voice instructed in the principals of Christian religion.
57 That is, in the doctrine of the Lord Christ, Who shows us the way of salvation, Mat. 22:16; Acts 9:2; 22:4; 24:14.
58 That is, as much of Christ as John the Baptist had taught his disciples, and confirmed this doctrine unto them with baptism, by which the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were not imparted, as was done to many by the baptism of the apostles, Acts 8:15 and 19:3.
26And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him 59the way of God 60more perfectly.
59 See verse 25.
60 That is, more abundantly in all parts of doctrine, from point to point.
27And when he was disposed to pass into 61Achaia, the brethren wrote, 62exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helpedm them 63much which had believed 64through grace:
61 That is, towards Corinth, the capital city of Achaia, as may be gathered from 1 Cor. 3:6.
62 Namely, that he would go courageously forward in teaching, and to accomplish his journey.
m 1 Cor. 3:6.
63 That is, helped much for the confirmation of the faithful.
64 This may be joined either with the word helped, or, with the word believed, for both must come from the grace of God.
28For he 65mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
65 Or, strongly urging.