The work in Corinth
Acts 18:1–17FocusSustained witness and protection
Connection to the wholePaul's ministry develops despite opposition, with encouragement to continue and a hearing before Gallio that does not stop the work.
interpretation Acts 18:18
KJVAnd Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
Read it in context
Travel and strengthening
Start reading at Acts 18:18 (Acts 18:18 to Acts 18:23).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
Paul's departure and visits connect the Corinthian work with the wider network of churches and another period of strengthening disciples.
- 18:18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
- 18:19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
- 18:20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
- 18:21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
- 18:22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
- 18:23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
Who
- Who wrote the book? Luke, the physician and companion of Paul, is the traditional author of Acts and the Gospel of Luke. Biblical references: Acts 1:1; Luke 1:3; Colossians 4:14. Historical source: Anchor Bible Dictionary, Luke–Acts. traditionally held
- Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Acts 18:1–18:28): Paul ministers in Corinth alongside Aquila and Priscilla and faces an accusation before Gallio. Later Aquila and Priscilla explain the way of God more fully to Apollos. stated in the text
- Who was the book written to? Theophilus, the same named recipient as Luke's Gospel, with the account also serving the wider Christian readership. Biblical references: Acts 1:1; Luke 1:3. stated in the text
What
- What is the topic of this reading unit? Travel and strengthening. Read Acts 18:18 through Acts 18:23 as a connected unit. interpretation
- How does it contribute to the book? Paul's departure and visits connect the Corinthian work with the wider network of churches and another period of strengthening disciples. interpretation
When
- When are the events or message set? Acts begins after Jesus' resurrection and follows the witness through Pentecost, expansion among peoples, and Paul's arrival in Rome. It does not give a final publication date. book background
Where
- What is the book’s geographic setting? The movement extends from Jerusalem through Judea and Samaria toward wider regions and Rome, as announced in Acts 1:8. book background
- Where does the context start? This passage sits in Travel and strengthening (Acts 18:18 to Acts 18:23). Start reading at Acts 18:18. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
- How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The risen Jesus commissions the witnesses, and their preaching centers on Him. The accounts include repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and reception of the Holy Ghost; keep the details and order stated for each event. See Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38, Acts 10:44, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5, Acts 19:6. interpretation
- How should this book guide our response? Compare conversion accounts carefully, preserving what each one actually narrates. Do not invent an omitted detail or flatten every episode into an identical sequence. interpretation
Cited: Acts 18:18, Acts 18:23, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38, Acts 10:44, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5, Acts 19:6
Who wrote it, and how we know
Luke
Named in Scripture
What Scripture saysThe book opens by referring to the author's former treatise to Theophilus, tying it to Luke, and shifts into first-person plural in the travel accounts.
Acts 1:1Acts 16:10
Early traditionEarly testimony names Luke.
What is debatedThe name is not in the text.
Related passages
- Syria Acts 15:23,41 Acts 21:3 Gal 1:21
- having Acts 21:24 Num 6:5-9,18 1 Cor 9:20
- Cenchrea Rom 16:1
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
History alongside this passage
A Roman decision helps explain a meeting in Corinth.
- About AD 49Approximate · In the Roman world
Claudius orders Jews to leave Rome
Acts 18:2 records the order. The Roman historian Suetonius also mentions an expulsion. - AfterwardIn the biblical account · Acts 18:1–3
Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla
They had recently come from Italy. Paul meets them in Corinth and works with them as a tentmaker.
Why this matters here
Acts connects their arrival from Italy with Claudius’s order. The historical event gives context to their meeting with Paul.
View historical notes and sources
The expulsion is commonly placed around AD 49; the exact year is debated. Acts and Suetonius do not give a calendar year. The later writer Orosius supplies the commonly used dating. The line shows sequence, not a measured time gap.
Time stated in this passage
18 months
Stated in Scripture
Paul teaches in Corinth
Acts 18:11 explicitly states that Paul continued there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God.
View passage notes and sources
This duration belongs to the stay described in the passage; it is not an interval between every adjacent verse.
Time covered by Acts
About 30 years
- AD 30 or 33Approximate beginning · Acts 1
The risen Jesus instructs His apostles
Acts begins after Jesus’ resurrection and describes His ascension. - About AD 62Approximate ending · Acts 28
Paul teaches while confined in Rome
The account closes with Paul receiving visitors and teaching during two full years in his rented lodging.
The narrative moves from Jerusalem to Rome over roughly three decades. Chapters do not represent equal amounts of time.
View historical notes and sources
Using a beginning in AD 30 or 33 and an ending around AD 62 gives approximately 29–32 years. These are reconstructed dates for the events, not a date for the writing of Acts. The book does not explicitly total its elapsed years.
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Acts 18
Acts addresses Theophilus as a continuation of the earlier account and follows the witnesses empowered by the Holy Ghost. Acts 1:8 supplies an important geographical frame: Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth.
FocusThe journey continues
Connection to the wholePaul's departure and visits connect the Corinthian work with the wider network of churches and another period of strengthening disciples.
interpretation Apollos instructed
Acts 18:24–28FocusKnowledge made more complete
Connection to the wholePriscilla and Aquila explain the way of God more accurately to Apollos, who then helps believers and reasons from Scripture about Jesus.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Acts
Acts addresses Theophilus as a continuation of the earlier account and follows the witnesses empowered by the Holy Ghost. Acts 1:8 supplies an important geographical frame: Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth.
The promised power and the Jerusalem church
Acts 1:1–2:47FocusWitness begins
Connection to the wholeJesus' promise, the coming of the Holy Ghost, Peter's preaching, and the hearers' response establish the beginning of the church's witness.
interpretation Witness and opposition in Jerusalem
Acts 3:1–7:60FocusBoldness, order, and rejection
Connection to the wholePublic testimony and growth are accompanied by internal needs and increasing opposition, culminating in Stephen's death.
interpretation The witness moves outward
Acts 8:1–12:25FocusSamaria, Saul, and Gentile hearers
Connection to the wholePersecution scatters believers; new fields open, Saul is called, and the reception of Gentiles becomes a matter publicly explained to the church.
interpretation Mission and the Gentile question
Acts 13:1–15:35FocusChurches established and the council
Connection to the wholeThe first missionary journey and the Jerusalem deliberation address the place of Gentile believers without making circumcision the entrance requirement.
interpretation FocusStrengthening and expanding witness
Connection to the wholePaul and his companions travel through new regions and revisit churches, moving toward the journey to Jerusalem despite coming danger.
interpretation Arrest, hearings, and Rome
Acts 21:17–28:31FocusTestimony through imprisonment
Connection to the wholePaul's custody becomes a setting for witness before authorities and brings him to Rome, where the account closes with continued proclamation.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.