What does Acts 18:19 mean?

After a long second missionary journey, Paul is traveling home. After spending a year and a half in Corinth, he and Priscilla and Aquila sail east to modern-day Asia Minor. The Holy Spirit prevented him from preaching in Asia, the western-most province on the peninsula, on their way to Macedonia, but now Paul spends a very brief time in Ephesus. Whenever Paul enters a new town, he starts by going to the local synagogue and showing how Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament; his message in Pisidian Antioch is representative (Acts 13:16–41). His hope is that all the Jews, whom God chose to bring the Savior to the world, will believe him. Invariably, some of the Jews and a great deal more Gentile God-followers believe. This time, Paul barely has the time to introduce Jesus' story.

Paul will return. During his third missionary voyage, he will teach in the Ephesian synagogue for three months and then in the school of Tyrannus for about two years (Acts 19:8–10). Until then, he leaves Priscilla and Aquila. They meet the Jewish man Apollos, a powerful speaker who knows little about Jesus but much about John the Baptist's message of repentance. The couple pulls Apollos aside and fills in the gaps of the story. Apollos accepts their explanation and takes over for Paul, using the Hebrew Scriptures to prove Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 18:24–28).

Ephesus was a large city easily accessible by land or sea. It was known for the temple of Artemis; when Paul returns, he will make such an impact on pagan worshipers that the craftsmen who make idols of Artemis will fear for their livelihoods and cause a riot (Acts 19:23–29). Priscilla and Aquila will host the first church there before they go on to Rome (1 Corinthians 16:19; Romans 16:3), and Timothy will later be their pastor (1 Timothy 1:3). Later, the apostle John will make Ephesus his headquarters before and after his exile to the island of Patmos.