independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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Corinth: Aquila and Priscilla — the trade and the sabbaths 18:1–4
vv. 1–3 — the arrival and the providential meeting
1
Μετὰ ταῦτα χωρισθεὶς ἐκ τῶν Ἀθηνῶνparticipial — preposed temporal participle — leans on ἦλθεν; Μετὰ ταῦτα the Lukan section-opener
ἦλθεν εἰς Κόρινθον.independent — the new city — Roman colony, capital of Achaia
2
καὶ εὑρών τινα Ἰουδαῖον ὀνόματι Ἀκύλαν, Ποντικὸν τῷ γένει,participial — preposed — leans on προσῆλθεν; εὑρίσκω of providential encounter
προσφάτως ἐληλυθότα ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας καὶ Πρίσκιλλαν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ,participial — attributive perfect participle — the couple newly displaced and still so
διὰ τὸ διατεταχέναι Κλαύδιον χωρίζεσθαι πάντας τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥώμης,cause — διά + articular infinitive — the expulsion edict (Suetonius, Claud. 25.4; c. A.D. 49)
προσῆλθεν αὐτοῖς,independent — the main verb at last — the chapter's key partnership begins
3
καὶ διὰ τὸ ὁμότεχνον εἶναιcause — preposed διά + infinitive — leans on ἔμενεν; ὁμότεχνος a NT hapax
ἔμενεν παρ᾿ αὐτοῖςindependent — progressive imperfect — the ongoing lodging
καὶ ἠργάζετο·independent — the working apostle (1 Thess 2:9; 1 Cor 4:12)
ἦσαν γὰρ σκηνοποιοὶ τῇ τέχνῃ.cause — γάρ aside — σκηνοποιός a NT hapax; leather-work or cilicium-cloth debated
v. 4 — the sabbath rhythm
4
διελέγετο δὲ ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ κατὰ πᾶν σάββατον,independent — iterative imperfect — Paul's synagogue method (17:2, 17)
ἔπειθέν τε Ἰουδαίους καὶ Ἕλληνας.independent — conative imperfect — τε … καί, the double audience
The turn to the Gentiles and the night vision 18:5–11
vv. 5–8 — the word presses, the garments are shaken, the household believes
5
Ὡς δὲ κατῆλθον ἀπὸ τῆς Μακεδονίας ὅ τε Σίλας καὶ ὁ Τιμόθεος,comparative — ὡς-temporal — leans on συνείχετο; their arrival (with Macedonian support, 2 Cor 11:9; Phil 4:15) frees Paul for full-time preaching
συνείχετο τῷ λόγῳ ὁ Παῦλος,independent — συνέχω — gripped, constrained; τῷ λόγῳ read (the Byzantine text smooths to τῷ πνεύματι)
διαμαρτυρόμενος τοῖς Ἰουδαίοιςparticipial — the shape of the constraint — Luke's key verb of witness (20:21, 24; 23:11)
εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν.content — the kerygmatic kernel (9:22; 17:3) — echoed word for word at v. 28
6
ἀντιτασσομένων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ βλασφημούντων,participial — genitive absolute — leans on εἶπεν; the rejection that occasions the turn
ἐκτιναξάμενος τὰ ἱμάτιαparticipial — the Nehemiah 5:13 gesture — liability formally discharged (cf. 13:51)
εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς·independent — the speech-frame for the declaration
Τὸ αἷμα ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ὑμῶν·content — verbless imprecation — the watchman idiom (Ezek 33:4; 2 Sam 1:16)
καθαρὸς ἐγὼcontent — verbless — the herald absolved (cf. 20:26, καθαρός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος πάντων)
ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν εἰς τὰ ἔθνη πορεύσομαι.content — the programmatic turn — second of three such declarations (13:46; 28:28)
7
καὶ μεταβὰς ἐκεῖθενparticipial — preposed — leans on εἰσῆλθεν; a decisive change of venue
εἰσῆλθεν εἰς οἰκίαν τινὸς ὀνόματι Τιτίου Ἰούστου σεβομένου τὸν θεόν,independent — the God-fearer's house becomes the base — σεβόμενος τὸν θεόν, Luke's term for Gentile adherents
οὗ ἡ οἰκία ἦν συνομοροῦσα τῇ συναγωγῇ.relative — the pointed detail — the mission camps on the synagogue's doorstep
8
Κρίσπος δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος ἐπίστευσεν τῷ κυρίῳ σὺν ὅλῳ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ,independent — the ruler himself crosses over — baptized by Paul personally (1 Cor 1:14)
καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν Κορινθίων ἀκούοντες ἐπίστευον καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο.independent — iterative imperfects — the steady stream of conversions
vv. 9–11 — the night vision and the eighteen months
9
Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐν νυκτὶ δι᾿ ὁράματος τῷ Παύλῳ·independent — the divine guarantor of the long stay
Μὴ φοβοῦ,content — present imperative — stop fearing
ἀλλὰ λάλειcontent — present imperative — the ongoing charge
καὶ μὴ σιωπήσῃς·content — aorist subjunctive prohibition — do not even begin to be silent
10
διότι ἐγώ εἰμι μετὰ σοῦcause — grounds the whole command-series — the covenant presence-formula (Isa 41:10; Jer 1:8)
καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπιθήσεταί σοιcause — the promise of protection — kept at the bema (vv. 12–17)
τοῦ κακῶσαί σε,purpose — τοῦ + infinitive of result — attack, at least, to no injury
διότι λαός ἐστίν μοι πολὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ.cause — the deeper ground — λαός, God's covenant word, claimed for still-unconverted Corinth
11
Ἐκάθισέν τε ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ μῆνας ἓξindependent — the eighteen months — the chronological spine of the Corinthian mission
διδάσκων ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ.participial — concurrent participle — what the settling was for
Gallio: the proconsul refuses jurisdiction 18:12–17
vv. 12–13 — the united attack and the charge
12
Γαλλίωνος δὲ ἀνθυπάτου ὄντος τῆς Ἀχαΐας,participial — genitive absolute — the Delphi inscription (SIG³ 801D) dates him c. A.D. 51–52, the fixed point of Pauline chronology
κατεπέστησαν ὁμοθυμαδὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ Παύλῳindependent — ὁμοθυμαδόν — the concerted attack; κατεφίστημι a NT hapax
καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα,independent — the bema — Corinth's rostra, still standing in the excavated agora
13
λέγοντες ὅτιparticipial — the charge is filed
Παρὰ τὸν νόμον ἀναπείθει οὗτος τοὺς ἀνθρώπους σέβεσθαι τὸν θεόν.content — παρὰ τὸν νόμον fronted — Roman law or Torah? the calculated ambiguity Gallio refuses to entertain
vv. 14–17 — Gallio's ruling and the beating he ignores
14
μέλλοντος δὲ τοῦ Παύλου ἀνοίγειν τὸ στόμαparticipial — genitive absolute — leans on εἶπεν; the defense never delivered
εἶπεν ὁ Γαλλίων πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους·independent — the proconsul preempts — the accused never speaks
Εἰ μὲν ἦν ἀδίκημά τι ἢ ῥᾳδιούργημα πονηρόν, ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι,conditional — second-class protasis, contrary to fact — leans on the apodosis below; the μέν of a paired ruling
κατὰ λόγον ἂν ἀνεσχόμην ὑμῶν·content — ἄν + aorist — the unreal apodosis: no crime, no hearing
15
εἰ δὲ ζητήματά ἐστιν περὶ λόγου καὶ ὀνομάτων καὶ νόμου τοῦ καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς,conditional — the real condition answering εἰ μέν — 'your own law,' νόμου τοῦ καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς, not Rome's
ὄψεσθε αὐτοί·content — imperatival future — jurisdiction declined (cf. Pilate's ὄψεσθε, Matt 27:24)
κριτὴς ἐγὼ τούτων οὐ βούλομαι εἶναι.content — κριτής fronted — the refusal that de facto legalizes the mission in Achaia
16
καὶ ἀπήλασεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ βήματος.independent — case dismissed with force — ἀπελαύνω a NT hapax
17
ἐπιλαβόμενοι δὲ πάντες Σωσθένην τὸν ἀρχισυνάγωγονparticipial — preposed — leans on ἔτυπτον; πάντες most naturally the bystanding crowd; a Sosthenes resurfaces at 1 Cor 1:1
ἔτυπτον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος·independent — iterative imperfect — the blows keep falling at the foot of the bema
καὶ οὐδὲν τούτων τῷ Γαλλίωνι ἔμελεν.independent — the studied indifference — Rome's neutrality dramatized in one impersonal imperfect
The return journey: the vow, Ephesus, Antioch 18:18–23
vv. 18–21 — Cenchreae and the Ephesus stop
18
Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἔτι προσμείνας ἡμέρας ἱκανὰςparticipial — preposed — leans on ἐξέπλει; the vision's promise held to the end
τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἀποταξάμενοςparticipial — second preposed participle — the formal farewell
ἐξέπλει εἰς τὴν Συρίαν,independent — imperfect — the departure under way
καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ Πρίσκιλλα καὶ Ἀκύλας,phrase modifier — verbless — the couple relocates; Priscilla again named first
κειράμενος ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς τὴν κεφαλήν,participial — the vow-cutting — the nominative favors Paul, not Aquila, as subject; a Nazirite-type vow (Num 6; cf. 21:23–26)
εἶχεν γὰρ εὐχήν.cause — γάρ aside — the reason for the shearing, offered without further explanation
19
κατήντησαν δὲ εἰς Ἔφεσον,independent — plural — the party of three makes landfall
κἀκεῖ τοὺς μὲν κατέλιπεν αὐτούς,independent — κἀκεῖ (crasis); μέν answered by αὐτὸς δέ — the couple stays, ready for Apollos (v. 26)
αὐτὸς δὲ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴνparticipial — preposed — leans on διελέξατο; emphatic αὐτός
διελέξατο τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις.independent — aorist — a single visit, the seed of the Ephesian mission (ch. 19)
20
ἐρωτώντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πλείονα χρόνον μεῖναιparticipial — genitive absolute, concessive — leans on οὐκ ἐπένευσεν
οὐκ ἐπένευσεν,independent — the rare synagogue welcome — declined; ἐπινεύω a NT hapax
21
ἀλλὰ ἀποταξάμενος καὶ εἰπών·participial — preposed pair — leans on ἀνήχθη
Πάλιν ἀνακάμψω πρὸς ὑμᾶςcontent — the promise — kept at 19:1; the Western 'I must keep the coming feast' expansion is not read here
τοῦ θεοῦ θέλοντος,participial — genitive absolute — the conditio Iacobaea (Jas 4:15; 1 Cor 4:19)
ἀνήχθη ἀπὸ τῆς Ἐφέσου,independent — the crossing to Palestine begins
vv. 22–23 — Caesarea, Antioch, and the third journey's outset
22
καὶ κατελθὼν εἰς Καισάρειαν,participial — preposed — leans on κατέβη; the port for Judea
ἀναβὰς καὶ ἀσπασάμενος τὴν ἐκκλησίαν,participial — ἀναβάς — the unnamed ascent is almost certainly Jerusalem, where the vow is completed
κατέβη εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν.independent — the second journey closes where it began (15:35–40)
23
καὶ ποιήσας χρόνον τινὰparticipial — preposed — leans on ἐξῆλθεν
ἐξῆλθεν,independent — the third journey opens — one bare verb
διερχόμενος καθεξῆς τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν καὶ Φρυγίαν,participial — καθεξῆς — the systematic revisitation of the earlier fields (cf. 16:6)
ἐπιστηρίζων πάντας τοὺς μαθητάς.participial — the pastoral purpose of the passage-through
Apollos: eloquent, fervent, more accurately instructed 18:24–28
vv. 24–25 — the Alexandrian's profile
24
Ἰουδαῖος δέ τις Ἀπολλῶς ὀνόματι, Ἀλεξανδρεὺς τῷ γένει, ἀνὴρ λόγιος, κατήντησεν εἰς Ἔφεσον,independent — the triple profile before the verb — λόγιος: eloquent and/or learned; Alexandria the seat of Hellenistic-Jewish exegesis
δυνατὸς ὢν ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς.participial — the fourth credential, held for last — the LXX his weapon (v. 28)
25
οὗτος ἦν κατηχημένος τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ κυρίου,independent — periphrastic pluperfect — κατηχέω, the catechesis word; by whom, Luke does not say
καὶ ζέων τῷ πνεύματιparticipial — preposed — leans on ἐλάλει; τῷ πνεύματι: his own fervent spirit or the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 12:11), left open
ἐλάλει καὶ ἐδίδασκεν ἀκριβῶς τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ,independent — iterative imperfects — ἀκριβῶς: accurate, as far as it went
ἐπιστάμενος μόνον τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου.participial — concessive — the pre-Pentecost gap, replayed in the Ephesian twelve (19:3–4)
vv. 26–28 — taken aside, sent on, refuting in public
26
οὗτός τε ἤρξατο παρρησιάζεσθαι ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ.independent — παρρησιάζομαι — the apostolic boldness-word (9:27–28; 19:8)
ἀκούσαντες δὲ αὐτοῦ Πρίσκιλλα καὶ Ἀκύλαςparticipial — preposed — leans on προσελάβοντο; Priscilla named first
προσελάβοντο αὐτὸνindependent — privately, not publicly — correction without humiliation
καὶ ἀκριβέστερον αὐτῷ ἐξέθεντο τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ὁδόν.independent — ἀκριβέστερον answers ἀκριβῶς (v. 25) — the comparative carries the whole episode
27
βουλομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ διελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Ἀχαΐαν,participial — genitive absolute — leans on ἔγραψαν; Achaia means Corinth (19:1; 1 Cor 3:6)
προτρεψάμενοι οἱ ἀδελφοὶparticipial — second preposed participle — the Ephesian endorsement
ἔγραψαν τοῖς μαθηταῖςindependent — the first letter of recommendation in the church's story (cf. 2 Cor 3:1)
ἀποδέξασθαι αὐτόν·content — the letter's content — infinitive of indirect command
ὃς παραγενόμενος συνεβάλετο πολὺ τοῖς πεπιστευκόσιν διὰ τῆς χάριτος.relative — continuative relative; the crux — διὰ τῆς χάριτος with πεπιστευκόσιν ('believed through grace,' as rendered) or with συνεβάλετο ('helped through grace')
28
εὐτόνως γὰρ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διακατηλέγχετο δημοσίᾳcause — γάρ — how the helping happened; διακατελέγχομαι a double-compound NT hapax, 'argue down utterly'
ἐπιδεικνὺς διὰ τῶν γραφῶνparticipial — the Alexandrian's method — δυνατὸς ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς (v. 24) in action
εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν.content — the chapter closes on Paul's own thesis of v. 5, word for word
Analysis. Acts 18 is travel narrative, and the shape is Luke's engine laid bare: aorist main verbs flush left (he came, he approached, they seized, he drove them out, he set sail, he went down), each one preceded by the forward-leaning participles and genitive absolutes that load the circumstances before the verb strikes — including the most historically consequential genitive absolute in the New Testament, Γαλλίωνος ἀνθυπάτου ὄντος (v. 12), whose Delphi-inscription date (c. A.D. 51–52) anchors all of Pauline chronology. Against the itinerary two stretches of speech hang blue: the shaken-garments declaration of v. 6 (three clauses under εἶπεν, two of them verbless imprecation), and the night vision of vv. 9–10, where the three commands under Εἶπεν are grounded by a διότι-pair that steps deeper to the chapter's theological center — λαός ἐστίν μοι πολύς, God's covenant word claimed for unconverted Corinth. The chapter's only conditionals are Gallio's, and they carry his whole ruling: the contrary-to-fact εἰ μέν protasis and the real εἰ δέ protasis each lean forward on their apodoses inside the quoted reply, ending in the fronted κριτὴς ἐγὼ τούτων οὐ βούλομαι εἶναι. Cruxes the layout takes a side on: συνείχετο τῷ λόγῳ is kept (v. 5, against the Byzantine τῷ πνεύματι); the vow-cutting participle κειράμενος (v. 18) is read of Paul, not Aquila, as the nominative requires; ἀναβάς in v. 22 is glossed as the Jerusalem ascent; the Western 'I must keep the coming feast' expansion of v. 21 is not in the text and not read; and in v. 27 διὰ τῆς χάριτος is rendered with the participle — 'those who had believed through grace' — with the alternative (helped-through-grace) named in the tag. The Apollos panel (vv. 24–28) closes the chapter on the same infinitive clause with which Paul's testimony opened it: εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν (vv. 5, 28), word for word.