1 AFTER these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; [a city with a lot of sailors and traders, very wicked city which had become associated with fornication, but yet as we see in vs 10 the Lord had much people there]

2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

3 And because he was of the same craft, [Paul was a tent maker as well - same occupation] he [Paul] abode with them, [Paul choses to stay with Aquila and his wife and goes back to work making tents The why he did this is unclear. Perhaps Paul had run out of money so he had to return to work. Perhaps he was attempting to integrate himself into the Jewish community in order to preach the Gospel in the synagogues. Perhaps he was helpping these two earn some extra money so that they could go on a senior mission as we see later as they go with him.] and ^awrought: [shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)] for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, [even though they have expanded the missionary efforts to the gentiles as well he does not stop meeting the Jews and Greeks every sabbath] and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, [felt the compulsion a pressing urgency - how you feel when you feel you should stand in testimoney meeting] and testified [remember he had been reasoning, but as every missionary will tell you that the real miracles come when you start to testify, to bear witness and have the Holy Ghost bear witness to them that what you say is true.] to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, [This is an Israelite custom which dramatizes that he has no more responsibilty for them, it is a kin to washing your hands of the matter, he is shaking the dust so to speak from his clothes and they are the dust.] and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

7 ¶ And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, [Paul must have had some trepedation in going to Corinth because it was so wicked. ] but speak, and hold not thy peace:

10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. [there was a pretty good size population of saints in Corinth]

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12 ¶ And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

15 But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, [ the laws of the Jews] look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.[in other words I will not judge him according to your laws - the laws of the Jews. I have no jurisdiction but to the laws of the land - So you will need to judge him on your own.]

16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.

17 Then all the Greeks took sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

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.

19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. [beginning to notice a pattern here? first thing he always does]

20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;

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.

22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia [Pauls third journey Acts 18:23-21:17 See map 21 1st Journey Acts 13:1-15:4 Second journey 15:36-18:22] in order, strengthening all the disciples.

24 ¶ And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, [persuasive & dynamic speaker] and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla [the senior missionary couple that Paul had brought along] had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. [explained to him that there was more than just the gospel taught by John the baptist - they preached to him the fulness of the gospel of Christ]

27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: [it is through the grace of God that the gospel is available for men to believe, and it is also by grace of God that men are able to comprehen the things of the spirit]

28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.