PAUL’S ARRIVAL IN CORINTH           ACTS 18: 1-17

1          ARRIVAL (1-3)  Following his Athens’ visit, Paul moves on the Corinth, one of the vilest and most immoral places on earth. There, God led him to Aquila and Priscilla, two Jews expelled from Rome by Claudius around 49 AD. All three were of the same craft, and they invited Paul into their home.

2          AGGRAVATION (4-6) At Corinth, Paul did what he always did: Go to the synagogue. There he reasoned with the Jews that the Messiah had come. He also testified to the Gentiles there at Corinth.

 He intensified his efforts when Silas and Timothy joined him by declaring Jesus was Christ. However, the opposition from the Jews was so great that Paul symbolically shook his garments at them as a sign of relieving himself of any responsibility for their lives.

3          AFFIRMATION (7-11) Paul went next door and began preaching there. One of the first converts was the ruler of the synagogue. As affirmation, God gave Paul a vision in which the apostle is given the mandate to press onward for there would be a great harvest. He remained there for 18 months teaching and preaching.

4          ACCUSATION (12-17) As in other cities, the Jews stirred trouble as they incited people against Paul. As they brought him before the proconsul Gallio, he stopped them in their tracks. He refused to hear their arguments, and sent them away. Following that, believers took Sosthenes, the new ruler of the synagogue, and beat him up. Perhaps in some strange way, the beating may have “encouraged” him to become a believer!