Lesson 393

(Lesson 393)(09-11-12) Acts 18:9-18, "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. And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow."

We learn, in this lesson, that Paul, after God assured his safety and told him in a dream to keep preaching there, remained in Corinth for a year and a half He preached only to the Gentiles and those among the Jews that would follow him. The Jewish leadership, again rose up because many of their people had converted to Christianity, and took Paul before the deputy, Gallio. When Gallio learned that the matter concerned a dispute among the Jews, he dismissed them and refused to make a judgment against Paul assuring his safety, just as God had promised. The Greeks then took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the Jews who had falsely accused Paul, and beat him in the presence of Gallio.~