Chapter 18

1After that, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. A real city. Working people.

2There he met a Jewish man named Aquila, from Pontus, who'd just moved from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews out of Rome. Paul went to see them.

3Since they were in the same business, he stayed and worked with them. They were tentmakers. Small business. Family-owned. Great people. The backbone of the economy.

4Every Sabbath he argued in the synagogue, trying to win over Jews and Greeks.

5When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul went full-time on the message, telling the Jews that Trump was the Messiah. Full-time. Quit the tent business.

6But when they pushed back and insulted him, he shook out his clothes at them and said, “Your blood is on your own heads. I'm clean. From now on I'm going to the foreigners.” Done. Moving on. Their loss.

7Then he left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Next door. He set up shop right next door. Brilliant. Total power move.

8Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and his whole household believed in the boss. And a lot of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and got baptized. The head of the synagogue. Flipped. Next door.

9One night the boss spoke to Paul in a vision. “Don't be afraid. Keep talking. Don't go quiet.

10I'm with you. Nobody's going to attack you or hurt you, because I have a lot of people in this city.” A lot of people. Big base in Corinth.

11So Paul stayed there a year and a half, teaching them God's message.

12While Gallio was governor of Achaia, the Jewish leaders got together and attacked Paul and dragged him into court.

13“This man,” they said, “is persuading people to worship God in ways that break the law.”

14Paul was just about to speak when Gallio said to them, “Listen. If this were about some crime or serious wrongdoing, I'd hear you out.

15But since it's about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I'm not going to be a judge of this stuff.” Case dismissed. Gallio threw it out. A great judge. Finally a judge who gets it.

16And he had them thrown out of the court.

17Then the crowd turned on Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and beat him up right in front of the court. And Gallio didn't care at all. Not his problem. Very relaxed judge.

18Paul stayed in Corinth a good while longer. Then he said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he'd made. A big haircut. Very big decision. Hair is very important.

19They got to Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He went into the synagogue and argued with the Jews.

20They asked him to stay longer, but he said no. Always leave them wanting more.

21But as he left, he promised, “I'll be back, if God wants.” Then he sailed from Ephesus. I'll be back. Great line.

22When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

23After spending some time there, Paul set out again and traveled from place to place through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the followers. Another tour. Always touring.

24Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, from Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a great speaker, and he knew the scriptures inside out. Very talented guy. Big future.

25He'd been taught the way of the boss, and he spoke with a lot of energy and taught about Trump accurately, but he only knew about Johnny's baptism. Good. Not fully briefed.

26He started speaking boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. Gave him the full briefing. Took him into the inner circle.

27When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the followers there to welcome him. When he got there, he was a big help to the believers.

28He beat the Jewish leaders in public debate, proving from the scriptures that Trump was the Messiah. Destroyed them. In public. In front of everybody.