This part records the founding of the church in Corinth, which was the administrative center of the Roman province of Achaea and to become an important center for the Paul's mission. Luke notes the first meeting of Paul with Aquila and Priscilla (
verse 2), who are to become his important associates, well known to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 16:19; cf. Romans 16:3-4).
Verse 1 :
After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. Paul traveled from Athens to Corinth, a distance of about on modern roads.
Verse 2 :
And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. The name Aquila is a
Latin word.
J. R. Lumby notes that "it is not likely that this was the man's
Jewish name, but as the custom was among the Jews, he had probably assumed a Roman name during his dwelling in Italy and in his intercourse with the Gentiles." References to the action of Roman Emperor
Claudius (in office AD 41–54) to command "all the Jews to depart from Rome" appear in the writings of
Roman historians Suetonius (c. AD 69 – c. AD 122) and
Cassius Dio (c. AD 150 – c. 235), and the fifth-century Christian author
Paulus Orosius. Scholars generally agree that these references refer to the same incident as this verse.
Verse 3 :
and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Paul's trade as a
tentmaker is mentioned here for the first time.
Verse 5 :
When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. Alexander suggests that Luke "may have simplified" the account of Paul's mission in Corinth, as it follows a familiar sequence (verses 4–5). For "Silas and Timothy", see , . The compelling direction of "the Spirit" reflects wording in the
Textus Receptus (Greek: συνειχετο τω πνευματι,
syneicheto tō pneumati) which the
New King James Version notes could be
capitalised as "the Spirit" or read as "his spirit". Other Greek texts read συνειχετο τω λογω (
syneicheto tō logō, "constrained by the word").
Heinrich Meyer argues that τῷ λόγῳ is "original" and was displaced by τῷ πνεύματι.
Verses 9–10 :
And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people." • "Vision": In the whole book, a vision will indicate where events are headed (cf. Acts 10:9–16 and 16:9–10). • "Attack": or “to set upon, lay a hand on”; “assault” is a contemporary English equivalent very close to the meaning of the original. ==Gallio (18:12–17)==