Paulo Aenda Korintho

18 Baada ya haya, Paulo aliondoka Athene akaenda Korintho. Huko alimpata Myahudi mmoja jina lake Akila, mzaliwa wa Ponto, ambaye alikuwa amewasili karibuni kutoka Italia pamoja na mkewe Prisila, kwa sababu mfalme Klaudio alikuwa ameamuru Wayahudi wote waondoke Rumi. Paulo akaenda kuwaona. Akakaa nao na kufanya kazi na Akila kwa sababu wote wawili walikuwa mafundi wa kutengeneza mahema. Kila siku ya sabato Paulo alikwenda katika sinagogi akajaribu kuwavuta Wayahudi na Wagiriki waamini. Sila na Timotheo walipofika kutoka Makedonia walimkuta akihubiri na kuwashuhudia Wayahudi na Wagiriki, kuwa Yesu ndiye Kristo. Wal ipombishia na kumtukana alikung’uta mavazi yake akawaambia, “Mimi sina lawama, mkipotea , lawama iko juu yenu wenyewe. Tangu sasa nitawahubiria mataifa neno la Mungu.” Kwa hiyo Paulo akaondoka akaenda kwenye nyumba ya mtu anayeitwa Titio Yusto ali yekuwa mcha Mungu. Nyumba yake ilikuwa karibu sana na sinagogi. Kiongozi wa hilo sinagogi aliyeitwa Krispo akamwamini Bwana pamoja na jamaa yake; na Wakorintho wengi waliomsikia Paulo wakaamini na kubatizwa. Usiku mmoja Bwana akazungumza na Paulo katika ndoto akamwambia, “Usiogope, endelea kuhubiri wala usi kate tamaa. 10 Kwa maana mimi niko pamoja nawe, wala hakuna mtu atakayeweza kukushambulia na kukudhuru; kwa kuwa kuna watu wengi walio wangu katika mji huu.” 11 Kwa hiyo Paulo akakaa Korintho kwa muda wa mwaka mmoja na nusu, akiwafundisha waamini neno la Mungu. 12 Lakini wakati Galio alipofanywa kuwa Liwali wa Akaya, Wayahudi waliungana kumshambulia Paulo, Wakamkamata na kumpeleka Mahakamani. 13 Wakamshitaki wakisema, “Mtu huyu anawashawishi watu wamwabudu Mungu kinyume cha sheria zetu.” 14 Paulo alipo taka kujitetea Galio akawaambia Wayahudi, “Kama mashtaka yenu yalihusu makosa ambayo mtu huyu amefanya au kama yangehusu ujam bazi, ningewasikiliza. 15 Lakini kwa kuwa kesi hii inahusu maneno na majina yaliyo katika sheria zenu, itawabidi muiamue wenyewe. Nakataa kabisa kujihusisha na jambo hili.” 16 Akawafu kuza kutoka mahakamani. 17 Wakamkamata Sosthene, kiongozi wa sinagogi, wakampiga mbele ya mahakama. Wala Galio hakuingilia kati.

Paulo Arudi Antiokia

18 Baada ya haya Paulo alikaa huko Korintho kwa siku nyingi zaidi kisha akaagana na wale ndugu waamini akasafiri kwa meli kuelekea Siria akiongozana na Prisila na Akila. Walipofika Kenk rea Paulo alinyoa nywele zake kwa maana alikuwa ameweka nadhiri. 19 Walipofika Efeso Paulo aliwaacha Prisila na Akila, akaenda katika sinagogi akawa akijadiliana na Wayahudi. 20 Walipomwambia akae nao kwa muda mrefu zaidi alikataa, 21 lakini alipokuwa aki waaga aliwaambia, “Nitarudi kama Mungu akipenda.” Akasafiri kwa meli kutoka Efeso. 22 Alipofika Kaisaria alikwenda kuwasalimu ndugu katika kanisa kisha akaelekea Antiokia. 23 Alikaa Antiokia kwa muda, na baadaye aliondoka akatembelea makanisa huko Galatia na Frigia, akiwaimarisha waamini wote.

Apolo Ahubiri Efeso Na Korintho

24 Basi Myahudi mmoja jina lake Apolo, mwenyeji wa Aleksan dria alikuja Efeso. Yeye alikuwa mtu mwenye uwezo mkubwa wa kuhu biri na pia aliyajua Maandiko barabara. 25 Alikuwa amefundishwa njia ya Bwana naye akiwa amejaa moto wa kiroho alifundisha kwa usahihi juu ya Yesu. Lakini ujuzi wake uliishia kwenye ubatizo wa Yohana. 26 Apolo alihubiri kwa ujasiri mkubwa katika sinagogi. Lakini Prisila na Akila walipomsikiliza walimchukua nyumbani kwao wakamfundisha njia ya Mungu kwa ukamilifu zaidi. 27 Na alipoamua kwenda Akaya, ndugu wa Efeso walimtia moyo wakampa na barua ya kumtambulisha kwa ndugu wa huko. Alipofika aliwasaidia sana watu wengi ambao kwa neema ya Mungu walikuwa wameamini; 28 maana kwa uwezo mkubwa aliwakanusha hadharani Wayahudi waliokuwa wakipinga Habari Njema kwa kuwaonyesha kutoka katika Maandiko kuwa Yesu ndiye Kristo.

In Corinth

18 After this, Paul left Athens(A) and went to Corinth.(B) There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,(C) because Claudius(D) had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.(E) Every Sabbath(F) he reasoned in the synagogue,(G) trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

When Silas(H) and Timothy(I) came from Macedonia,(J) Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.(K) But when they opposed Paul and became abusive,(L) he shook out his clothes in protest(M) and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads!(N) I am innocent of it.(O) From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”(P)

Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.(Q) Crispus,(R) the synagogue leader,(S) and his entire household(T) believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:(U) “Do not be afraid;(V) keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you,(W) and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.(X)

12 While Gallio was proconsul(Y) of Achaia,(Z) the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

14 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. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law(AA)—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes(AB) the synagogue leader(AC) and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters(AD) and sailed for Syria,(AE) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.(AF) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae(AG) because of a vow he had taken.(AH) 19 They arrived at Ephesus,(AI) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”(AJ) Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea,(AK) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.(AL)

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia(AM) and Phrygia,(AN) strengthening all the disciples.(AO)

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,(AP) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.(AQ) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a](AR) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.(AS) 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila(AT) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,(AU) the brothers and sisters(AV) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures(AW) that Jesus was the Messiah.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 18:25 Or with fervor in the Spirit