Dealing with a Dysfunctional Church
St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians

Paul’s Second Missionary Tour

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After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth . . . .

Acts 18:1

Brief History of Ancient Corinth

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[At Corinth, Paul] found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome [49 AD].

Paul went to see them, and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked together--by trade they were tentmakers.

Acts 18:2-3

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Every sabbath [Paul] would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus.

Acts 18:4-5

When they opposed and reviled him, in protest he shook the dust from his clothes and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles” . . .


Acts 18:6

When he left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a God-Fearer; his house was next door to the synagogue.

Crispus, the Leader of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized . . . He stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Acts 18:7-8, 11

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Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

Romans 16:23

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Summary of Paul’s Missionary Work at Corinth

 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia [51-52 AD], the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal [bema].

13 They said, "This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law."
 
Acts 18:12-13

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Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of crime or serious villainy, I would be justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews; but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I do not wish to be a judge of these matters.”

Acts 18:14-15

 Then all of them seized Sosthenes, the official of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal [bema]. But Gallio paid no attention to any of these things.

 Acts 18:17

After staying there for a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.

Acts 18:18

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Paul’s Third Missionary Tour

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1 Corinthians