Pāvils Korintā
1 Pēc tam Pāvils atstāja Atēnas un aizgāja uz Korintu. 2 Te viņš sastapa kādu jūdu, vārdā Akils, dzimušu Pontā, kurš nesen ar sievu Priskillu bija pārcēlies no Itālijas, jo Klaudijs bija pavēlējis visiem jūdiem atstāt Romu. Pāvils ieradās pie viņiem; 3 un, tā kā viņiem bija kopīgs amats – viņi bija telšu taisītāji –, Pāvils tur palika, un viņi kopā strādāja. 4 Ik sabatu viņš runāja sinagogā, pārliecinādams gan jūdus, gan grieķus. 5 Kad no Maķedonijas ieradās Sīla un Timotejs, Pāvils dedzīgi sludināja vārdu un liecināja jūdiem, ka Jēzus ir Kristus. 6 Bet, kad tie stājās pretī un zaimoja, Pāvils nopurināja savas drēbes pret tiem un sacīja: “Jūsu asinis lai paliek uz jums pašiem. Es esmu tīrs no tām un no šī brīža dodos pie pagāniem.” 7 No turienes aizgājis, viņš apmetās pie kāda dievbijīgā, vārdā Titijs Jūsts, kura māja atradās blakus sinagogai. 8 Sinagogas priekšnieks Krisps un viss viņa nams kļuva ticīgi; arī daudzi korintieši, viņu dzirdējuši, kļuva ticīgi un tika kristīti. 9 Bet Kungs naktī Pāvilam parādībā sacīja: “Nebīsties! Runā un neklusē, 10 jo es esmu ar tevi. Neviens netiks klāt, lai nodarītu tev ļaunu, jo man šajā pilsētā ir daudz ļaužu.” 11 Un tā Pāvils tur palika gadu un sešus mēnešus, mācīdams viņiem Dieva vārdu. 12 Kad Ahajā prokonsuls bija Gallions, jūdi visi kā viens sacēlās pret Pāvilu un aizveda viņu tiesas priekšā. 13 Viņi sacīja: “Šis te kūda ļaudis uz nelikumīgu Dieva pielūgšanu.” 14 Pirms vēl Pāvils paguva atvērt muti, Gallions jūdiem teica: “Klausieties, jūdi, ja te būtu runa par kādu noziegumu vai ļaundarību, tad man būtu pamats pieņemt jūsu sūdzību, 15 bet, ja tas ir strīds par jūsu mācību vai personām, vai par kādu jūsu likumu, tad skatieties paši, šajās lietās es jums negribu būt tiesnesis.” 16 Un viņš lika tos padzīt no tiesas vietas. 17 Tad pūlis, sagrābis sinagogas priekšnieku Sostenu, sāka viņu sist tiesas krēsla priekšā. Bet Gallions par to nelikās ne zinis.
Pāvils atgriežas Antiohijā
18 Uzkavējies pie brāļiem vairākas dienas, Pāvils atvadījās un kopā ar Priskillu un Akilu devās ar kuģi uz Sīriju. Pirms tam viņš Kenhrejās apcirpa matus, jo bija devis solījumu. 19 Viņi piestāja Efesā. Atstājis viņus, Pāvils iegāja sinagogā un tur sarunājās ar jūdiem. 20 Tie lūdza viņu palikt ilgāku laiku, bet viņš nepiekrita 21 un atvadīdamies sacīja: “ Ja Dievs vēlēs, atgriezīšos pie jums vēl citā reizē.” Un viņš devās prom no Efesas. 22 Nonācis Cēzarejā, viņš aizgāja un apsveicinājās ar draudzi un devās tālāk uz Antiohiju. 23 Kādu laiku tur pavadījis, viņš no turienes aizgāja un pārstaigāja pēc kārtas Galatijas un Frīģijas zemes, visur stiprinādams mācekļus.
Apolls sludina Efesā
24 Bet Efesā ieradās kāds jūds, vārdā Apolls, dzimis aleksandrietis, daiļrunīgs vīrs, kas bija labs Rakstu pazinējs. 25 Viņš bija mācīts Kunga ceļā un dedzīgi sludināja, saprotami mācīdams par Jēzu, lai gan pazina tikai Jāņa kristību. 26 Viņš sāka atklāti sludināt sinagogā. Kad Priskilla un Akils viņu dzirdēja, tie pieņēma viņu pie sevis un vēl skaidrāk izklāstīja viņam Dieva ceļu. 27 Kad Apolls nolēma doties uz Ahaju, brāļi viņu atbalstīja un rakstīja mācekļiem, lai tie viņu uzņem; tur ieradies, viņš daudz palīdzēja tiem, kas Dieva žēlastībā bija kļuvuši ticīgi. 28 Viņš tautas priekšā neatlaidīgi pārliecināja jūdus, no Rakstiem parādīdams, ka Jēzus ir Kristus.
Paul in Corinth
1 Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, 2 where he met Aquila, a Jewish man from Pontus. Not long before this, Aquila had come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Emperor Claudius had ordered the Jewish people to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and Priscilla 3 and found out they were tent makers. Paul was also a tent maker, so he stayed with them, and they worked together.
4 Every Sabbath, Paul went to the synagogue. He spoke to Jews and Gentiles and tried to win them over. 5 But after Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, he spent all his time preaching to the Jews about Jesus the Messiah. 6 Finally, they turned against him and insulted him. So he shook the dust from his clothes and told them, “Whatever happens to you will be your own fault! I am not to blame. From now on I am going to preach to the Gentiles.”
7 Paul then moved into the house of a man named Titius Justus, who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus was the leader of the synagogue. He and everyone in his family put their faith in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard the message, and all the people who had faith in the Lord were baptized.
9 One night, Paul had a vision, and in it the Lord said, “Don't be afraid to keep on preaching. Don't stop! 10 I am with you, and you won't be harmed. Many people in this city belong to me.” 11 Paul stayed on in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching God's message to the people.
12 While Gallio was governor of Achaia, some of the Jewish leaders got together and grabbed Paul. They brought him into court 13 and said, “This man is trying to make our people worship God in a way that is against our Law!”
14 Even before Paul could speak, Gallio said, “If you were charging this man with a crime or some other wrong, I would have to listen to you. 15 But since this concerns only words, names, and your own law, you will have to take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.” 16 Then he sent them out of the court. 17 The crowd grabbed Sosthenes, the Jewish leader, and beat him up in front of the court. But none of this mattered to Gallio.
Paul Returns to Antioch in Syria
18 After Paul had stayed for a while with the Lord's followers in Corinth, he told them goodbye and sailed on to Syria with Aquila and Priscilla. But before he left, he had his head shaved at Cenchreae because he had made a promise to God.
19 The three of them arrived in Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He then went into the synagogue to talk with the people there. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he refused. 21 He told them goodbye and said, “If God lets me, I will come back.”
22 Paul sailed to Caesarea, where he greeted the church. Then he went on to Antioch. 23 After staying there for a while, he left and visited several places in Galatia and Phrygia. He helped the followers there to become stronger in their faith.
Apollos in Ephesus
24 A Jewish man named Apollos came to Ephesus. Apollos had been born in the city of Alexandria. He was a very good speaker and knew a lot about the Scriptures. 25 He also knew much about the Lord's Way, and he spoke about it with great excitement. What he taught about Jesus was right, but all he knew was John's message about baptism.
26 Apollos started speaking bravely in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him to their home and helped him understand God's Way even better.
27 Apollos decided to travel through Achaia. So the Lord's followers wrote letters, encouraging the followers there to welcome him. After Apollos arrived in Achaia, he was a great help to everyone who had put their faith in the Lord Jesus because of God's gift of undeserved grace. 28 He got into fierce arguments with the Jewish people, and in public he used the Scriptures to prove that Jesus is the Messiah.
