Acts 18:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint.

NIV: Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, 'If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.

NASB: But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, 'If it were a matter of some crime or vicious, unscrupulous act, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you;

CSB: As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrongdoing or of a serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews.

NLT: But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul’s accusers and said, 'Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case.

KJV: 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:

NKJV: And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you.

The Jews of Corinth are using an old but effective method to shut down the worship of Jesus: Roman law. Years before, the Sanhedrin accused Jesus of placing Himself as king above Caesar. Pilate didn't believe them, but he feared their ability to disrupt Jerusalem and make him look ineffective, so he bowed to their wishes and had Jesus crucified (Luke 23:1–25; John 19:12–19). Now, Paul stands accused of preaching and worshiping a deity—Jesus—not pre-authorized by the Roman government. One hundred years before this trial, Cicero wrote, "…let no one have private gods—neither new gods nor strange gods, unless publicly acknowledged, are to be worshipped privately…" in De Legibus, his discussion about the Roman law. If the Jews can convince Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia, that Paul is an enemy of the state, he could restrict Paul's movements in the Roman Empire, or at least expel him from Corinth.

Unfortunately for the Jews, Gallio doesn't care. As far as he's concerned, Christianity is a Jewish sect. It's a religious matter, not a civil issue. He tells them to handle it themselves. When Paul went to the synagogue first and convinced several Jews—including the ruler of the synagogue—Christianity effectively became a civilly-protected religion (Acts 18:4, 8).

Acts 18:12–17 describes the relatively mild resistance Paul meets as he builds the church in Corinth. Paul spends eighteen months in Corinth teaching about Jesus' offer of forgiveness and establishing the church. The Jews who reject his message bring him to court and accuse him of teaching a new religion that isn't authorized by the Roman government. Gallio, the proconsul, doesn't see any socially relevant difference between the Jews and the Jesus-followers. So, he dismisses the charges. A crowd responds by seizing the leader of the synagogue and beating him, but Gallio does not give it any attention.

Acts 18 recounts the end of Paul's second missionary journey. He leaves Athens for Corinth, in southern Greece, and works with Priscilla and Aquila as a tentmaker until Silas and Timothy rejoin him. The team stays eighteen months with no significant pressure. Eventually, Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila sail east to Ephesus. Paul leaves a short time later for Judea and Syrian Antioch before returning to Galatia for his third missionary journey. Meanwhile, Priscilla and Aquilla host the church in Ephesus and train a talented speaker named Apollos to be a minister of Christ.

Acts 18 covers the last half of Paul's second missionary journey and the first part of the third. He and his team have traveled down the east coast of Macedonia and Greece to Corinth (Acts 17) where they will spend eighteen months. Paul will stop briefly in Ephesus on their way back to Judea before visiting Jerusalem and Syrian Antioch. From there, Paul will return to Galatia in modern-day Asia Minor before returning to Ephesus for an extended stay (Acts 19). He will revisit the churches in Macedonia and Greece before facing arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.