Year of the Bible
Acts of the Apostles 18
Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 18:
Paul moves further south from Athens to the city of Corinth, where we see even more of the characteristics as a truly missionary disciple! Paul continues to reach out to both his fellow Jews to share the Good News of the Scriptures with them, while being inclusive of Gentiles as well. Paul seeks out fellowship with other believers, a married couple named Priscilla and Aquila. Paul’s friendship with other Christians like Priscilla and Aquila is not merely social, but also formation for ministry, as the couple takes on catechetical ministry in the Church (vs. 26) and are called “co-workers” by Paul (Rom 16:3). The importance of on-going faith formation is seen in Paul’s decision to stay in Corinth for 18 months (vs. 11) and to continue to visit “disciples” (a word for believers or Christians) to continue to teach and form them (vs. 23).
The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 18:
Paul in Corinth
1 After this he left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them; 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and they worked, for by trade they were tentmakers. 4 And he argued in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with preaching, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they op posed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no man shall attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack upon Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading men to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, I should have reason to bear with you, O Jews; 15 but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and
beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to this.
Paul’s Return to Antioch
18 After this Paul stayed many days longer, and then took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he cut his hair, for he had a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself went into the synagogue and argued with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined; 21 but on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greet ed the Church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Ministry of Apollos
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
The preaching of St. Paul and Apollos can be summarized in one statement: "the Christ is Jesus!" And yet many people did not believe. Do I live as though I truly believe that Jesus is the "Christ"; that is, the Messiah, the anointed one of God?
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Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
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1 Después de esto se fue de Atenas
y llegó a Corinto. 2 Encontró a un
judío que se llamaba Aquila, oriundo
del Ponto, que recientemente había llegado
de Italia, con su mujer Priscila, por
haber decretado Claudio que todos los
judíos salieran de Roma. Se les acercó
3 y, como tenía el mismo oficio, vivía y
trabajaba con ellos, porque eran de profesión
fabricantes de tiendas. 4 Todos los
sábados discutía en la sinagoga e intentaba
convencer a judíos y griegos.
5 Cuando Silas y Timoteo llegaron de
Macedonia, Pablo se entregó de lleno a
la predicación de la palabra, dando testimonio
a los judíos de que Jesús es el
Cristo. 6 Como se le oponían y blasfemaban,
sacudió sus vestidos y les dijo:
–¡Que caiga vuestra sangre sobre
vuestra cabeza! Yo soy inocente. Desde
ahora me dirigiré a los gentiles.
7 Salió de allí y entró donde vivía
un prosélito que se llamaba Tito Justo,
cuya casa estaba contigua a la sinagoga.
8 Crispo, jefe de la sinagoga, creyó en el
Señor con toda su casa. Y muchos corintios
al oír a Pablo creían y recibían
el bautismo.
9 Por la noche el Señor le dijo a Pablo
en una visión:
–No tengas miedo, sigue hablando y
no calles, 10 que yo estoy contigo y nadie
se te acercará para hacerte daño; porque
tengo en esta ciudad un pueblo numeroso.
11 Permaneció allí un año y seis meses
enseñando entre ellos la palabra de
Dios. Galión era procónsul de Acaya
cuando los judíos se amotinaron todos
a una contra Pablo y lo condujeron al
tribunal 13 diciendo:
–Éste induce a los hombres a dar
culto a Dios al margen de la Ley.
14 Cuando Pablo se disponía a hablar,
les dijo Galión a los judíos:
–Judíos, si se tratara de un delito o
de un grave crimen, sería razonable que
os atendiera, 15 pero si son cuestiones de
palabras y de nombres y de vuestra Ley,
os lo solucionáis vosotros; yo no quiero
ser juez de esos asuntos.
16 Y los expulsó del tribunal. 17 Entonces
todos ellos agarraron a Sóstenes, el
jefe de la sinagoga, y comenzaron a golpearle
delante del tribunal, pero nada
de esto le importaba a Galión.
18 Después de permanecer allí bastante
tiempo, Pablo se despidió de los
hermanos y embarcó rumbo a Siria.
Iban con él Priscila y Aquila. Se había
rapado la cabeza en Céncreas porque
había hecho un voto. 19 Llegaron a Éfeso
y los dejó allí. Él entró en la sinagoga
y empezó a dialogar con los judíos.
Le rogaban que se quedara más tiempo
pero no accedió, 21 sino que se despidió
y dijo:
–Volveré de nuevo a vosotros si
Dios quiere.
Y zarpó de Éfeso. 22 Desembarcó en
Cesarea y, después de subir y saludar a
la iglesia, bajó a Antioquía.
23 Pasó allí algún tiempo y marchó
recorriendo una tras otra las regiones
de Galacia y Frigia, confortando a todos
los discípulos.
24 Un judío que se llamaba Apolo,
de origen alejandrino, hombre elocuente
y muy versado en las Escrituras, llegó
a Éfeso. 25 Había sido instruido en el Camino
del Señor. Hablaba con fervor de
espíritu y enseñaba con esmero lo referente
a Jesús, aunque sólo conocía el bautismo
de Juan. 26 Comenzó a hablar con
libertad en la sinagoga. Al oírle Priscila
y Aquila le tomaron consigo y le expusieron
con más exactitud el camino
de Dios. 27 Como deseaba pasar a Acaya,
los hermanos le animaron y escribieron
a los discípulos para que le recibieran.
Cuando llegó fue de gran provecho,
con la gracia divina, para los que habían
creído, 28 pues refutaba vigorosamente en
público a los judíos, demostrando por las
Escrituras que Jesús es el Cristo.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La predicación de San Pablo y Apolos puede resumirse en una sola afirmación: "¡El Cristo es Jesús!" Y, sin embargo, mucha gente no creyó. ¿Vivo como si realmente creyera que Jesús es el "Cristo"; es decir, el Mesías, el ungido de Dios?
La Biblia de Navarra
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para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).