Acts 18:1-28

Second Missionary Journey (concluded)

1-18. St. Paul at Corinth. Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. The ancient town had been entirely destroyed in 146 b.c. by the Roman general Mummius, but it had been refounded as a Roman colony in 46 b.c. by Julius Cæsar. Situated on the Corinthian isthmus, it had two ports, Cenchreæ on the Ægean, and Lechaaum on the Gulf of Lepanto. The traffic between Italy and Asia chiefly passed through Corinth, which rapidly became a populous and wealthy trading centre. The morals of the Corinthians, who were devoted to pleasure and the worship of Venus (Aphrodite), were such as to outrage even pagan sentiment. Allusions to the prevailing sensuality of the city, which was encouraged by its religion, are to be found in the Epistles to the Corinthians. Here Paul stayed a year and six months, but St. Luke (for whatever reason) gives us few particulars of his work. From Corinth St. Paul indited his two Epistles to the Thessalonians.