Acts 18 · Verse 27

Acts 18:27

And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

Acts 18:27, King James Version

Acts 18:27 in other translations

BSB	When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
WEB	When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him; and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
ASV	And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace;
YLT	and he being minded to go through into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples, having exhorted them to receive him, who having come, did help them much who have believed through the grace,
DARBY	And when he purposed to go into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples engaging them to receive him, who, being come, contributed much to those who believed through grace.
BBE	And when he had a desire to go over into Achaia, the brothers gave him help, and sent letters to the disciples requesting them to take him in among them: and when he had come, he gave much help to those who had faith through grace:
Webster	And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he had come, helped them much who had believed through grace.

What does Acts 18:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 18:27-28

27-28. And when he was disposed--"minded," "resolved." to pass into Achaia--of which Corinth, on the opposite coast (see on Ac 18:1), was the capital; there to proclaim that Gospel which he now more fully comprehended. the brethren--We had not before heard of such gathered at Ephesus. But the desire of the Jews to whom Paul preached to retain him among them for some time (Ac 18:20), and his promise to return to them (Ac 18:21), seem to indicate some drawing towards the Gospel, which, no doubt, the zealous private labors of Priscilla and Aquila would ripen into discipleship. wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him--a beautiful specimen of "letters of recommendation" (as Ac 15:23, 25-27, and see 2Co 3:1); by which, as well as by interchange of deputations, &c., the early churches maintained active Christian fellowship with each other. when he was come, helped them much--was a great acquisition to the Achaian brethren. which believed through grace--one of those incidental expressions which show that faith's being a production of God's grace in the heart was so current and recognized a truth that it was taken for granted, as a necessary consequence of the general system of grace, rather than expressly insisted on. (It is against the natural order of the words to read them, as Bengel, Meyer, and others, do, "helped through grace those who believed").

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 27. Into Achaia. Acts 18:12.

The brethren wrote. The brethren at Ephesus. Why he went, the historian does not inform us. But he had heard of the success of Paul there; of the church which he had established; of the opposition of the Jews; and it was doubtless with a desire to establish that church, and with a wish to convince his unbelieving countrymen that their views of the Messiah were erroneous, and that Jesus of Nazareth corresponded with the predictions of the prophets. Many of the Greeks at Corinth were greatly captivated with his winning eloquence, 1Cor 1:12, 3:4,5 and his going there was the occasion of some unhappy divisions that sprung up in the church. But in all this, he retained the confidence and love of Paul, 1Cor 1 1Cor 3. It was thus shown that Paul was superior to envy, and that great success by one minister need not excite the envy, or alienate the confidence and good-will of another.

Helped them much. Strengthened them, and aided them in their controversies with the unbelieving Jews.

Which had believed through grace. The words "through grace" may refer either to Apollos, or to the Christians who had believed. If to him, it means that he was enable by grace to strengthen the brethren there; if to them, it means that they had been led to believe by the grace or favour of God. Either interpretation makes good sense. Our translation has adopted that which is most natural and obvious.

(a) "helped" 1Cor 3:6 (b) "believed" Eph 2:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 27 When he was disposed to pass into Achaia - There is a very long and important addition here in the Codex Bezae, of which the following is a translation: But certain Corinthians, who sojourned at Ephesus, and heard him, entreated him to pass over with them to their own country. Then, when he had given his consent, the Ephesians wrote to the disciples at Corinth, that they should receive this man. Who, when he was come, etc. The same addition is found in the later Syriac, and in the Itala version in the Codex Bezae. Which had believed through grace - These words may either refer to Apollo, or to the people at Corinth. It was through grace that they had believed; and it was through grace that Apollo was enabled to help them much. The words δια της χαριτος, through grace, are wanting in the Codex Bezae, the later Syriac, the Vulgate, one copy of the Itala, and in some of the fathers. But this omission might have been the effect of carelessness in the writers of those copies from which the foregoing were taken: the words convey the same idea that is expressed by St. Paul, 1Cor 3:6 : Paul planted, and Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. Though this eminent man became the instrument of mightily helping the believers in Corinth, yet he was also the innocent cause of a sort of schism among them. For some, taken by his commanding eloquence, began to range themselves on his side, and prefer him to all other teachers. This evil St. Paul reprehends and corrects in his first epistle to the Corinthians. St. Jerome says that Apollo became bishop of Corinth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 18:24-28

Apollos taught in the gospel of Christ, as far as John's ministry would carry him, and no further. We cannot but think he had heard of Christ's death and resurrection, but he was not informed as to the mystery of them. Though he had not the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, as the apostles, he made use of the gifts he had. The dispensation of the Spirit, whatever the measure of it may be, is given to every man to…

Read the full comment on Acts 18:24-28 →

Acts 18:27 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

βουλομένουboulomenouWhen is resolvingG1014

δὲdethenG1161

αὐτοῦautouheG846

διελθεῖνdieltheinto pass throughG1330

εἰςeisintoG1519

τὴνtēn<the>G3588

Ἀχαΐαν,AchaianAchaia,G882

προτρεψάμενοιprotrepsamenoihaving encouraged [him]G4389

οἱhoitheG3588

ἀδελφοὶadelphoibrothersG80

ἔγραψανegrapsanwroteG1125

τοῖςtoisto theG3588

μαθηταῖςmathētaisdisciplesG3101

ἀποδέξασθαιapodexasthaito welcomeG588

αὐτόν·autonhim;G846

ὃςhoswhoG3739

παραγενόμενοςparagenomenoshaving arrivedG3854

συνεβάλετοsunebaletohe helpedG4820

πολὺpolugreatlyG4183

τοῖςtoisthoseG3588

πεπιστευκόσινpepisteukosinhaving believedG4100

διὰdiathroughG1223

τῆςtēs<the>G3588

χάριτος·charitosgrace;G5485

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 18:27

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
James 1:16-18
Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Acts 18:18
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.
Colossians 4:10
Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)
Philippians 1:25
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Titus 3:4-6
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
2 Corinthians 3:1-2
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Philippians 1:29
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Acts 19:1
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the brethren.
9:27; Ro 16:1,2; 1Co 16:3; 2Co 3:1,2
exhorting.
Col 4:10; 3Jo 1:8-10
helped.
1Co 3:6,10-14; 2Co 1:24; Php 1:25
believed.
Joh 1:12,13; Ro 1:5; 1Co 15:10; Eph 2:8-10; Php 1:29; Col 2:12
2Th 2:13,14; Tit 3:4-6; Jas 1:16-18; 1Pe 1:2,3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Acts 18:26
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Acts 18:27
And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
Acts 18:28
For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

Read all of Acts 18

Acts 18:27 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y queriendo él pasar á Acaya, los hermanos exhortados, escribieron á los discípulos que le recibiesen; y venido él, aprovechó mucho por la gracia á los que habían creído:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et comme il se proposait de passer en Achaïe, les frères écrivirent aux disciples et les exhortèrent à le recevoir; et quand il y fut arrivé, il contribua beaucoup par la grâce à l’avancement de ceux qui avaient cru;
German Elberfelder 1871	Als er aber nach Achaja reisen wollte, schrieben die Brüder den Jüngern und ermahnten sie, ihn aufzunehmen. Dieser war, als er hinkam, den Glaubenden durch die Gnade sehr behilflich;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Cum autem vellet ire Achaiam, exhortati fratres, scripserunt discipulis ut susciperent eum. Qui cum venisset, contulit multum his qui crediderant.