Acts 18:5-21

⁵But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the Spirit, solemnly insisting to the Jews: Jesus is the Christ.

⁶But since they kept contradicting and blaspheming, he shook his clothes and said to them: “Your blood be upon your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

⁷So he moved from there into the house of a man named Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

⁸Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household; and as they were hearing, many of the Corinthians were believing and being baptized.

⁹Now the Lord said to Paul by a vision at night: “Do not be afraid; rather speak and do not keep silent,

¹⁰because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

¹¹So he stayed on for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them.

¹²Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat,

¹³saying, “This fellow persuades the people to worship God contrary to the law.”

¹⁴But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews: “If there really was some misdeed or wicked crime, O Jews, there would be reason for me to bear with you;

¹⁵but since it is an issue over a word and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; because I refuse to be a judge of such matters.”

¹⁶And he drove them from the judgment seat.

¹⁷Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was a delay to Gallio.

¹⁸Paul still remained there a good while, then took leave of the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila (he had shaved his head in Cenchrea, because he had a vow).

¹⁹He came to Ephesus and left them there (after having entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews).

²⁰When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent;

²¹rather he took leave of them saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.