The apostle Paul, after journeying to
Thessalonica, and Berea, and Athens
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.-Acts 18:1-11***Athens was the capital city and Corinth was a prominent trade city in ancient Greece. Silas (Silvanus), and Aquila, and Eunice, the mother of Timothy (Timotheus), were Israelites (Hebrews/Jews). Aquila's wife Priscilla (Prisca) was possibly an Israelite. Timothy's father was a Gentile, a person not born into the Israelite tribes. The apostle Paul (Saul) was an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, descended from Abraham (Abram the Hebrew) and Sarah (Sarai), Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob (Israel) and his 2nd wife Rachel, and Jacob and Rachel's 2nd and last son Benjamin. A few years before Paul began working and journeying alongside Silas, Timothy, Aquila, and Priscilla, Paul did not believe Jesus, who had been betrayed, arrested, crucified, buried in a tomb, resurrected, seen by over 500 people, and returned to heaven, to be the Christ, the Son of God. Throughout Jerusalem, Paul persecuted and imprisoned Israelites who believed Jesus to be the Christ of God. When Paul was journeying to the synagogues in Damascus, Syria, to find, bind and take to Jerusalem any Israelite believers he found, Paul and those with him saw a light from heaven flash around them. Paul heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him, and Paul spoke to Jesus and obeyed Jesus. In Damascus Paul was baptized. In Troas, a prominent city in Asia Minor (Turkey), a vision during the night appeared to Paul, and in Corinth, the Lord Jesus spoke to Paul.
Reference Information:
joined hard = synomorousa/sunomoreo = adjoining, bordering
Reference Scriptures:
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.-Acts 13:16...And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.-Acts 13:44-46
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