Acts 18 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

There he met a Jewish man named Aquila, originally from Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all Jewish people to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

and because he worked in the same trade, he stayed and worked with them — they were tentmakers by profession.

Every Sabbath he would make his case in the synagogue, trying to win over both Jewish and Greek people.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to getting the message out, testifying to the Jewish people that Jesus was the One.

But when they pushed back and started throwing insults, he shook out his clothes in protest and told them, "Your blood is on your own heads! I'm not responsible. From now on, I'm going to the non-Jewish people."

So he left the synagogue and went next door to the house of a man named Titius Justus, someone who worshiped God.

Crispus, the synagogue leader, put his trust in the Master along with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians who heard Paul also believed and were submerged.

One night the Master told Paul in a vision, "Don't be afraid. Keep speaking and don't be silent,

because I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city."

So Paul stayed there for a year and six months, teaching them God's message.

But while Gallio was serving as governor of Achaia, the Jewish leaders made a coordinated move against Paul and brought him before the judge's bench.

"This man," they said, "is convincing people to worship God in ways that violate the law."

Paul was just about to respond when Gallio said to the Jewish leaders, "Look, if this were about some crime or serious wrongdoing, I'd have good reason to hear you out.

But since this is just arguments about words and names and your own law, deal with it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things."

And he had them removed from the court.

Then they all grabbed Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and beat him right there in front of the court. But Gallio couldn't have cared less.

Paul stayed on in Corinth for quite a while longer. Then he said goodbye to the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. Before he left, he had his hair cut off in Cenchreae because of a vow he had made.

They arrived in Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jewish people there.

When they asked him to stay longer, he declined.

But as he said goodbye, he told them, "I'll come back to you if God wants me to." Then he set sail from Ephesus.

After landing at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the gathered community, and then went down to Antioch.

After spending some time there, he left and traveled through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, one place after another, strengthening all the people who followed the Way.

Meanwhile, a Jewish man named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was from Alexandria, an impressive speaker, and deeply knowledgeable in the Scriptures.

He had been taught about the way of the Master and spoke with burning passion, teaching accurately about Jesus — though he only knew about John's submersion.

He began speaking boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more completely.

When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the people who followed the Way there, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a huge help to those who had come to trust in Jesus through God's generous favor.

He publicly demolished the arguments of the Jewish opponents with powerful reasoning, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus was the One.