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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_18:5-11
5But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." 7Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. 8Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. 9And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; 10for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city." 11And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Act_18:5 "Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia" They apparently brought a love offering from the believers at Philippi, which allowed Paul to preach full time (cf. 2Co_11:9; Php_4:15). Timothy also brought news about the church at Thessalonica in response to which Paul wrote I and 2 Thessalonians (cf. Act_17:14). It seems that, just as Luke had been left in Philippi to disciple the new believers, Timothy was left at Thessalonica and Silas at Berea. Paul was very concerned with the training of new Christians (i.e., the Great Commission is making and teaching disciples, not just decisions). He wanted to leave an active, growing, reproducing church in every city he visited.
NASB "Paul began devoting himself completely to the word"
NKJV "Paul was constrained by the Spirit"
NRSV "Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word"
TEV "Paul ave his whole time to preaching the message"
NJB "Paul devoted all his time to preaching"
There is a Greek manuscript variant in this phrase. The oldest and best texts have the dative of Logos (cf. MSS P74, à , A, B, D, E, along with the Vulgate, Peshitta, and Coptic translations). The UBS4 rates it "B" (almost certain). The Textus Receptus has "Spirit" (pneumati), which is found only in much later Minuscule Greek manuscripts (three from the tenth century are the oldest).
▣ "solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ" Compare Act_9:22 with Act_17:3 concerning Paul's method of persuasion (imperfect passive indicative of sunechô, which means to constrict or press), which was very much like Stephen's method and enthusiasm (cf. Acts 7). See note at Act_2:40. This often repeated theological assertion (i.e., Jesus is the Messiah, see note at Act_17:3) is the key to all others!
Act_18:6 "resisted and blasphemed" These are both present middle participles, which emphasize continuing personal involvement. Unfortunately this became the all too common response from the Jews of the Diaspora.
▣ "he shook out his garments" This was a Jewish symbol for rejection (cf. Neh_5:13; Act_13:51; Luk_9:5; Luk_10:11). See complete note at Act_13:51.
▣ "Your blood be on your own heads" This OT idiom has several connotations.
1. the responsibility of a watchman, both individually and collectively, Eze_3:16 ff; Eze_33:1-6
2. a personal responsibility, Jos_2:19; 2Sa_1:16; Eze_18:13; Act_18:6; Act_20:26
3. a corporate responsibility of the ancestors or nations, 2Sa_3:28-29; 2 Kgs. 2:33
4. NT combination of # 2 and #3, Mat_27:25
Life was in the blood (cf. Lev_17:11; Lev_17:14). The shedding of blood made someone responsible to God for that death (cf. Gen_4:10; Gen_9:4-6).
▣ "I am clean" This is an OT sacrificial metaphor of personal responsibility. Paul was no longer spiritually responsible (cf. Ezekiel 33) for the Jews to hear the gospel in this city. He shared the message and they would not respond. Are we clean?
▣ "From now on I will go to the Gentiles" This evangelistic procedure and curse became normative for Paul (cf. Act_13:46; Act_18:6; Act_26:20; Act_28:28). Paul felt obligated to preach to the house of Israel first, following Jesus (cf. Mat_10:6; Mat_15:24; Mar_7:27). He explains this theologically in Rom_1:3; Rom_1:5; Rom_1:9-11 and emotionally in Acts 9; Acts 15; Act_22:21; Act_26:17 (cf. Rom_11:13; Rom_15:16; Gal_1:16; Gal_2:7-9; Eph_3:2; Eph_3:8; 1Ti_2:7; 2Ti_4:17).
Act_18:7 "Titus Justus" There are several possibilities as to the identity of this "worshiper of God" who lived next to the synagogue in Corinth.
1. His full name is Gaius Titus Justus and the church in Corinth met in his home (cf. Rom_16:23)
2. He may be the Gaius mentioned in 1Co_1:14 who was baptized by Paul
3. There is a Greek manuscript variant connected with this name.
a. Titiou Ioustou, MSS B, D2 (UBS4 gives this a "C" rating)
b. Titou Ioustou, MSS à , E, P
c. Ioustou, MSS A, B2, D*
d. Titou, Peshitta and Coptic translations
▣ "a worshiper of God" An inscription from Aphrodisias (3rd century), uses the phrase "worshiper of God" for those Gentiles attached to and attending the synagogue. So "God fearers" (Act_10:1-2; Act_10:22; Act_13:16; Act_13:26) is synonymous to "worshiper of God" (cf. Act_13:50; Act_16:14; Act_18:6-7).
This phrase is hard to define. The same phrase is used of Lydia in Act_16:14 and several Greeks at Thessalonica in Act_17:4 and in Berea in Act_17:17. They seem to be Greeks who were attracted to Judaism, attended the synagogue when possible, but were not full proselytes. However, the phrase "a God-fearing proselyte" is used to describe full proselytes at the synagogue in Perga of Pamphylia in Act_13:43.
Act_18:8 "Crispus" This man was the organizer and superintendent of the local synagogue (cf. 1Co_1:14).
▣ "believed in the Lord with all his household" Acts records several instances where the head of a house converts and the entire extended family is baptized (cf. Act_11:14; Act_16:15; Act_16:31-34; Act_18:8, See hyperlink at Act_2:38). Westerners forget the place of the extended family in the ancient Mediterranean world. Family was priority. Individuality was not emphasized. Although this is different from our individualistic understanding of evangelism, that does not make it inappropriate or less real.
However, it is also to be noted that not all the members of saved families who attended church were saved. Onesimus was a slave in Philemon's house where the church met, but he was not saved until he met Paul in prison.
For "believed" see Special Topics at Act_2:40; Act_3:16.
▣ "many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized" Many at Corinth readily accepted Paul's message, but Paul was discouraged and had to be energized by a special divine vision (cf. Act_18:10 b). The Corinthian churches (house churches) were Paul's most difficult, problematic congregations. He loved them, but they caused him great personal pain (cf. I and 2 Corinthians).
There is a relevant parallel to this context in 1Co_1:14-17. I have included here one of my notes from my commentary on 1 Corinthians. See it online free at hyperlink
"1Co_1:17 "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach" This is not meant to disparage baptism, but to react to the factious spirit in the church of Corinth that was lifting up certain leaders. However, this statement does indicate that baptism was not seen as a "sacramental" agency of grace. It is surprising that some interpret Paul's writings in a sacramental sense when in all his writings he specifically mentions the Lord's Supper only once in 1 Corinthians 11 and baptism twice, in Rom_6:1-11 and Col_2:12. However, baptism is the will of God for every believer.
1. it is the example of Jesus
2. it is the command of Jesus
3. it is the expected, normal procedure for all believers
I do not believe it is the channel for receiving the grace of God or the Spirit. It was that public opportunity for new believers to express their faith in a very public and decisive way. No NT believer would ask, "Must I be baptized to be saved?" Jesus did it! Jesus commanded the church to do it! Do it!" Baptism is still a major decisive public declaration of one's personal faith, especially in non-Christian cultures.
Act_18:9 "Do not be afraid any longer" This is a present middle imperative with a negative particle, which usually means to stop an act already in process. This may be an allusion to Gen_26:24 or Deu_1:29-33; Deu_20:1, where Isaac was afraid. Paul was afraid and needed Christ's encouragement. Luke records these special visions of encouragement in Act_22:17-18; Act_23:11; Act_27:23-24. If a man like Paul grew weary in well-doing, does it surprise you that you do, too? Jesus is with us also (cf. Act_18:10; Mat_28:20)! The Great Commission is still the guiding goal, the main thing (cf. Mat_28:18-20; Luk_24:47; Act_1:8).
▣ "but you go on speaking and do not be silent" These are both imperatives (present active and aorist active). Fear must not silence the gospel proclaimer! Our emotions go up and down, but Act_1:8 is still the guiding light (cf. 2Ti_4:2-5).
Act_18:10 "I am with you" There is no greater promise (cf. Gen_26:24; Exo_3:12; Exo_33:4; Psa_23:4; Mat_28:20; Heb_13:5). Notice He is with us, not for our personal comfort or security, but for evangelistic boldness (so too, the purpose of the filling of the Spirit in Acts). The Spirit's presence is for proclamation, not personal peace alone.
▣ "for I have many people in this city" The phrase "I have many people" is an allusion to the OT use of this term for Israel (i.e., the people of God), but now in the NT it refers to those in Corinth (Jews and Gentiles) who would respond to the gospel message. There is no more Jew or Greek (cf. Rom_3:22; 1Co_12:13; Gal_3:28; Col_3:11). The church is now called by OT titles (cf. Gal_6:16; 1Pe_2:5; 1Pe_2:9; Rev_1:6).
This is an emphasis of God's predestination and foreknowledge (cf. Romans 9; Ephesians 1). Oh, if we could only see the book of Life now! The church's witness is effective (cf. Rev_13:8). Personal assurance is for evangelistic boldness, not the confirmation of a ticket to heaven when believers die!
Act_18:11 This verse helps establish a possible chronology for Paul's missionary travels. Although the phrase is ambiguous, it implies a preaching mission of eighteen months in Corinth.