These Acts 18 Bible study questions are for small groups, Sunday school classes and personal reading. Acts 18 follows Paul from Athens to Corinth, through a year and a half of ministry, a court hearing before the proconsul Gallio, and a return journey through Ephesus to Antioch. Each set below moves from what the chapter says, to what it means, to how it shapes daily life.
Acts 18 at a Glance
Paul arrives in Corinth and meets Aquila and Priscilla, Jewish believers who work alongside him as tentmakers. He preaches in the synagogue until opposition hardens, then turns to the Gentiles and sees many believe. A vision encourages him to keep speaking, and he stays a year and six months before Jewish leaders bring him before Gallio, who refuses to judge a matter of Jewish law.
The chapter closes with Paul sailing east with his companions, leaving Priscilla and Aquila at Ephesus, and visiting Jerusalem and Antioch. Then Apollos appears in Ephesus, eloquent and devoted but lacking full understanding, and Priscilla and Aquila instruct him so that his ministry becomes stronger. The chapter ends with Apollos powerfully showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Observation Questions
Use these questions first, before any discussion of meaning. Ask the group to point to the exact words in the text, and resist explaining until the observations are on the table.
Acts 18:3
And because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.
(WEB)
Read this verse to show how Paul’s daily work and his ministry were woven together. It gives the group a concrete picture of faithful labor alongside gospel witness.
Acts 18:9-10
9 The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
(WEB)
These verses carry the Lord’s encouragement to Paul in the night. Reading them aloud lets the group hear the command and the promise together, which often anchors discussion about courage.
Acts 18:25
This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.
(WEB)
This verse describes Apollos as fervent and accurate in what he taught, while still incomplete. It opens a useful conversation about zeal, knowledge, and the need for ongoing learning.
Acts 18:26
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
(WEB)
Reading this verse shows how Priscilla and Aquila responded to a gifted speaker with private, gracious instruction. It is a good passage for talking about how the church helps one another grow.
Acts 18:28
For he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
(WEB)
This verse summarizes Apollos’s public ministry in one clear line. Reading it at the close helps the group see the central claim the whole chapter builds toward.
Memory Verse for Acts 18
Acts 18:9
The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent…
(WEB)
This verse gives a simple command that is easy to remember in hard moments. Encourage group members to repeat it during the week when they feel tempted to stay quiet about their faith.
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we thank you for the way you sent Paul, Aquila, Priscilla and Apollos to teach your word in hard places. Give us the courage to keep speaking when others resist, and the humility to receive correction when we need it. Help us to work faithfully in our daily lives while we serve you in the church. Remind us, as you reminded Paul, that you are with us and that you have people to gather in every city. Make us ready to explain the Scriptures with clarity and love. Amen.
