12到迦流作亞該亞方伯的時候，猶太人同心起來攻擊保羅，拉他到公堂， 13說：「這個人勸人不按着律法敬拜神。」 14保羅剛要開口，迦流就對猶太人說：「你們這些猶太人！如果是為冤枉或奸惡的事，我理當耐性聽你們。 15但所爭論的，若是關乎言語、名目，和你們的律法，你們自己去辦吧！這樣的事我不願意審問」； 16就把他們攆出公堂。 17眾人便揪住管會堂的所提尼，在堂前打他。這些事迦流都不管。
保羅回到安提阿
18 保羅又住了多日，就辭別了弟兄，坐船往敘利亞去；百基拉、亞居拉和他同去。他因為許過願，就在堅革哩剪了頭髮。 19到了以弗所，保羅就把他們留在那裏，自己進了會堂，和猶太人辯論。 20眾人請他多住些日子，他卻不允， 21就辭別他們，說：「神若許我，我還要回到你們這裏」；於是開船離了以弗所。 22在凱撒利亞下了船，就上耶路撒冷去問教會安，隨後下安提阿去。 23住了些日子，又離開那裏，挨次經過加拉太和弗呂家地方，堅固眾門徒。
亞波羅在以弗所講道
24有一個猶太人，名叫亞波羅，來到以弗所。他生在亞歷山大，是有學問的，最能講解聖經。 25這人已經在主的道上受了教訓，心裏火熱，將耶穌的事詳細講論教訓人；只是他單曉得約翰的洗禮。 26他在會堂裏放膽講道；百基拉、亞居拉聽見，就接他來，將神的道給他講解更加詳細。 27他想要往亞該亞去，弟兄們就勉勵他，並寫信請門徒接待他。他到了那裏，多幫助那蒙恩信主的人， 28在眾人面前極有能力駁倒猶太人，引聖經證明耶穌是基督。
各位弟兄姊妹平安，我們今天讀的是《使徒行傳》第18章下半段。這是保羅第三趟宣教之旅的開始。
在那個時候的羅馬帝國，其實是很公正廉明的。使徒行傳記載的大多數地方官都非常守法，這一點其實很重要。我們看到，保羅受到的逼迫是來自於猶太人，也就是他的同族，但保護他的通常都是羅馬的官員。因為羅馬官員需要遵守法律，並且非常嚴謹地守護每個地方的秩序。這段經文裡一個當地的官員叫做迦流的人，直接駁回了猶太人的控告，說只要與羅馬的治安無關，我不想管你們的事情。
這裡有一個名字，但我們通常不會特別注意到，就是所提尼。這個人在這裡是管猶太會堂的人，這裡記錄他被猶太人無理地毆打了一頓。因此，我們可以知道，所提尼與保羅的關係是密切的。保羅在後來的《哥林多前書》一章一節裡面特別提到他的名字，稱他為弟兄，而且說是跟所提尼一同寫的信。所以，保羅與所提尼的關係非常要好，所提尼可能也成為了當時哥林多教會的領頭人物。從一個管猶太會堂的人，代表他是猶太社群中的重要人物，相信當他轉變成為基督徒的時候，必定也是為這信仰付上了很多代價，包括社會地位和社交的關係等等，受到的迫害也不少。這樣的榜樣，保羅都紀念。
他路過加拉太和弗呂家地方，一路繼續給門徒們上課。身為一個宣教士，不只是要建立教會，還得要不斷回去堅固教會。保羅相當珍惜他一路上建立的各地的教會，有機會路過的話一定會去拜訪，然後給他們培靈會和特訓班，就算在別的地方，也會寫信給他們繼續教導。這是一個牧者的心腸。既勤於建造教會，也勤於繼續分享教導。
從這裡我們可以看出保羅對傳福音的心態。他很明白，不能只是傳完就走，他傳完以後還要回來不斷地堅固信徒。他通過書信和重複的講道來教導他們，讓他們能夠盡可能地繼續堅持下去。這也是傳承的重點之一。
我們看到這裡有個叫亞波羅的人，他很有學問，能講解聖經。但是，他的神學院課程沒有修完，他只學到約翰的洗禮，相當於讀了舊約，新約課程學分還沒修完。所以，接下來有亞居拉和百基拉這對夫妻來教導他。
我們看見了亞居拉和百基拉跟保羅學完以後，他們也成為了教授，可能是當時教會的神學院教授夫妻。然後，他們就開始分享，接下來更多的人也被他們教導。而亞波羅也是因為他們的緣故得到了很好的聖經教導，接下來就成為了下一代的傳道人。
我們在這裡已經看到了傳承的重要性。從保羅開始，到亞居拉和百基拉，再到亞波羅，還有保羅自己帶領的提摩太，以及之前我們認識的馬可，聖經裡面所告訴我們的真理教導不能夠只停留在一代人身上，它要不斷地往下傳承。所以，門徒訓練是一個極重要的事情。
在教會裡面也是一樣，我們要看重的不只是教會人數的增長，更重要的是能夠找到對聖經有熱情、有理解，並且想要繼續學習的人。牧師需要特別看重這樣的門徒。人數不用很多，但當我們找到這樣有福音熱誠並且願意學習的人時，我們要好好珍惜這樣的下一代傳道人，親自培養他們，並把他們帶在身邊。這樣，不僅可以讓他們用腦子學習，更能通過生活的歷練來打造下一代的傳道人。
接下來我們看到保羅前往另外一個重要城市以弗所，這是羅馬帝國一個重要的城市。在那邊，保羅又會碰上什麼其他困難？我們接著看下去。
12While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13“This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”
14Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16So he drove them off. 17Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
18Paul 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. 19They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.
23After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you. Today we are reading the second half of Acts 18. This marks the beginning of Paul’s third missionary journey.
At that time, the Roman Empire was actually very just and upright. Most of the local officials recorded in Acts were very law-abiding, and this is very important. We see that Paul’s persecution came from the Jews, his own people, but he was usually protected by Roman officials. This was because the Roman officials had to follow the law and rigorously maintain order in each place. In this passage, we see a local official named Gallio who directly dismissed the Jews' accusations, saying that if it was not related to Roman law, he did not want to handle it.
There is a name here that we usually do not pay much attention to—Sosthenes. This person was the ruler of the Jewish synagogue and was unjustly beaten by the Jews. Therefore, we can see that Sosthenes had a close relationship with Paul. Paul later mentioned his name in 1 Corinthians 1:1, calling him a brother and indicating that the letter was written together with him. This shows that Paul had a very good relationship with Sosthenes, who likely became a leading figure in the Corinthian church.
From being a leader in the Jewish synagogue, which made him an important figure in the Jewish community, Sosthenes’ conversion to Christianity would have come with many sacrifices, including social status and relationships, as well as persecution. Paul remembered such an example.
Paul passed through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, continuing to teach the disciples along the way. As a missionary, it was not enough to just establish churches; he also had to constantly go back to strengthen them. Paul cherished the churches he established along the way, visiting them whenever possible to hold spiritual revival meetings and special training sessions. Even when he was elsewhere, he wrote letters to continue teaching them. This is the heart of a shepherd, diligent in building the church and in continuing to share teachings.
From this, we can see Paul’s attitude towards evangelism. He understood that he could not just preach and leave; he had to return to continually strengthen the believers. He taught them through letters and repeated sermons, enabling them to persevere as much as possible. This is one of the key aspects of discipleship.
Here we see a man named Apollos, who was well-educated and able to explain the Scriptures. However, he had not completed his theological training; he only knew about John’s baptism, which is equivalent to having studied the Old Testament but not the New Testament. So, Aquila and Priscilla, the couple, came to teach him.
We see that after Aquila and Priscilla learned from Paul, they also became teachers, likely theological professors in the church at that time. Then they started sharing and teaching more people. Apollos, due to their teaching, received excellent biblical instruction and went on to become a preacher for the next generation.
Here we see the importance of discipleship. From Paul to Aquila and Priscilla, then to Apollos, and also to Timothy, whom Paul mentored, and Mark whom we knew earlier, the teachings of truth in the Bible cannot remain with just one generation; they must be continually passed down. Therefore, discipleship training is extremely important.
The same applies in the church. We must value not only the growth in numbers but also finding people who are passionate about the Bible, who understand it, and who want to continue learning. Pastors need to especially value such disciples. The number doesn’t have to be large, but when we find such passionate and willing learners, we should cherish them, personally mentor them, and keep them close. This way, they can not only learn with their minds but also be shaped by life experiences, becoming the next generation of preachers.
Next, we see Paul heading to another important city, Ephesus, a significant city in the Roman Empire. What other challenges will Paul face there? Let’s continue to find out.
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