Acts 18:18

Acts 18:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken.
• English Standard Version (ESV)After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.

Context of Acts 18:18

16Then Gallio told his soldiers to take the Jewish leaders away. 17Then the whole crowd of people took hold of a man called Sosthenes. He was the leader of the Jewish meeting place there. The crowd hit him with sticks in front of Gallio. But Gallio did nothing to stop them. He did not think it was important. Paul remained in Corinth with the believers for many days. Then he left them. Priscilla and Aquila also went with him. They went to the port called Cenchrea. They got on a ship there to sail to Syria. Before they left, someone cut off all the hair on Paul's head. This showed that he had made a promise to God. 19They all arrived in the city of Ephesus. Paul left Priscilla and Aquila, and he went into the Jewish meeting room. There he talked about God's message with the Jews. 20Some of them asked Paul to remain in Ephesus with them for a longer time. But he did not agree to stay.

Acts 18:18 word by word

Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἔτι προσμείνας ἡμέρας ἱκανάς, τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἀποταξάμενος ἐξέπλει εἰς τὴν Συρίαν, καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ Πρίσκιλλα καὶ Ἀκύλας, κειράμενος ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς τὴν κεφαλήν· εἶχεν γὰρ εὐχήν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• tarriedπροσμένωprosmenō · to remain/persistG4357
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• a goodἱκανόςhikanos · sufficientG2425
• whileἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• and then took his leaveἀποτάσσωapotassomai · to leaveG657
• of the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• and sailed thenceἐκπλέωekpleō · to sail out/awayG1602
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• SyriaΣυρίαSuria · SyriaG4947
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• PriscillaΠρίσκιλλαPriscilla · PriscillaG4252
• AquilaἈκύλαςAkulas · AquilaG207
• having shornκείρωkeirō · to shearG2751
• headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• CenchreaΚεγχρεαίKegchreai · CenchreaeG2747
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• he hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a vowεὐχήeuchē · a vow/prayerG2171

Cross-references for Acts 18:18

• Acts 15:23This is the letter that they sent with those men: ‘We, the apostles and leaders of the believers here say “hello” to you, our friends who also believe in Jesus. We say “hello” to all of you Gentile believers who live in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.
• Acts 21:3After travelling for some time, we could see the island called Cyprus. We went south of Cyprus, and we continued as far as Syria. We arrived on the coast at the city of Tyre and we got off the ship. The ship would remain in Tyre for some days, because people had to remove the things off the ship.
• Galatians 1:21Later, I went to different places in Syria and Cilicia.
• Acts 18:2In Corinth, he met a man called Aquila. Aquila was a Jew. He had been born in the region of Pontus. At that time, Caesar Claudius had said that all Jews must leave Rome. So Aquila had left Italy and he had just arrived in Corinth with his wife Priscilla. Paul went to visit them.
• Acts 21:24You must go with these men to the temple. There, they will wash to make themselves clean in front of God. Join with them when they do that. Then pay the priest the money for their sacrifices. After that, the men can cut the hair off their heads. When you do that, everyone will understand about you. They will see what you have done. They will know that you yourself obey the Law of Moses. They will know that what they have heard about you is not true.
• Numbers 6:5A person must not cut his hair during the time that he is a Nazirite. He must be different all the time that he is separate for the Lord. He must let the hair on his head grow long.
• 1 Corinthians 9:20When I was among Jews, I lived like they do, because I wanted to bring Jews to Christ. The Law that God gave to Moses no longer has authority over me. But I chose to obey that Law when I was among Jewish people who obey it. I did that so that I could help them to believe in Christ.
• Romans 16:1I want you to know that our Christian friend Phoebe is a good person. She is a servant of the church at Cenchrea.

Commentaries on Acts 18:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18And Paul - tarried there yet a good while - The persecuting Jews plainly saw, from the manner in which the proconsul had conducted this business, that they could have no hope of raising a state persecution against the apostles; and the laws provided so amply for the personal safety of every Roman citizen that then were afraid to proceed any farther in their violence. It would not be unknown that Paul was possessed of the right of Roman citizenship; and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18And sailed thence into Syria - Or set sail for Syria. His design was to go to Jerusalem to the festival which was soon to occur, Acts 18:21. Having shorn his head - Many interpreters have supposed that this refers to Aquila, and not to Paul. But the connection evidently requires us to understand it of Paul, though the Greek construction does not with certainty determine to which it refers. The Vulgate refers it to Aquila, the Syriac to Paul. In Cenchrea…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 While Paul found he laboured not in vain, he continued labouring. Our times are in God's hand; we purpose, but he disposes; therefore we must make all promises with submission to the will of God; not only if providence permits, but if God does not otherwise direct our motions. A very good refreshment it is to a faithful minister, to have for awhile the society of his brethren. Disciples are compassed about with infirmity; ministers must do…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Cenchrea was a seaport on the Aegean Sea, about eight kilometers (five miles) east of Corinth. Here, Paul had his head shaved following Jewish custom to mark the completion of a temporary Nazirite vow (compare 21:23–24; and Numbers 6:1–21; Judges 13:4–7; 16:1; Amos 2:11–12; Luke 1:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Paul ... tarried ... yet a good while--During his long residence at Corinth, Paul planted other churches in Achaia (2Co 1:1). then took ... leave of the brethren, and sailed ... into--rather, "for" Syria--to Antioch, the starting-point of all the missions to the Gentiles, which he feels to be for the present concluded. with him Priscilla and Aquila--In this order the names also occur in Ac 18:26 (according to the true reading); compare Ro 16:3; 2Ti…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 18:18

• Aquila and Priscilla
• Cenchrea
• Ephesus
• Paul
• Priscilla
• Syria

In the dictionaries

• Aquila
• Paul
• Priscilla
• Syria
• Prisca; Priscilla
• Paul, Saul
• Priscilla, Prisca
• Syria, Ashur
• Baldness
• Baptism

Commentaries on Acts 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings