Acts 18:12-17

When Gallio was made. Ramsay thinks this was in the summer of 52 A.D. Gallio's brother, Seneca, was the teacher of Nero. Seized Paul and took him Into court. This implies they could not stir up a mob against him, as had been done at other places. In a way that is against the law. Rome permitted many religions, including Judaism. Since these Jews have no authority over Paul, they try to make him "look bad" to Gallio. Paul was about to speak. Gallio interrupts to scold the Jews for bringing this to him. He seems to think Christianity is just another sect of Judaism. He has no love for either the Jews or the Christians, and throws the whole thing out of court. This does show that the Roman authorities would do nothing to stop the spread of Christianity at this time. And he drove them out. The guards ejected them. They all grabbed Sosthenes. They take out their frustration on their own leader by beating him. Gallio ignored the whole thing. It was only the Jews, who he considered irrational anyway.