Acts 18:12

12 But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court,

Acts 18:12 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 18:12

And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia
This province, which was now become a Roman one, Pliny the younger F17 calls true and mere Greece; it went by the name of Aegialus F18, and now it is called Livadia: it has on the north the country of Thessaly, and on the west the river Acheloo, or Aracheo, on the east the Aegean sea, and on the south Peloponnesus, or the Morea. Gallio, who was now deputy of it, was brother to L. Annaeus Seneca, the famous philosopher, who was preceptor to Nero; his name at first was M. Annaeus Novatus, but being adopted by L. Junius Gallio, he took the name of the family. According to his brother's account of him {s}, he was a very modest man, of a sweet disposition, and greatly beloved; and Statius F20 calls him Dulcem Gallionem, "the sweet Gallio", mild and gentle in his speech, as Quintilian says. Seneca


FOOTNOTES:

F21 makes mention of him as being in Achaia; and whilst he was deputy there he had a fever, when as soon as it took him he went aboard a ship, crying, that it was not the disease of the body, but of the place.

The Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul;
being provoked that so many of their people, as well as of the Gentiles, were converted by him to the Christian religion, and were baptized:

and brought him to the judgment seat;
of Gallio, the deputy, to be tried and judged by him.


F17 L. 8. Ep. 24.
F18 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 4. c. 5. Pausanias, l. 7. p. 396.
F19 Praefat. ad. l. 4. Nat. Quaest.
F20 Sylvarum, l. 2. Sylv. 7.
F21 Ep. 104.

Acts 18:12 In-Context

10 No matter what happens, I'm with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city."
11 That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.
12 But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court,
13 and filed chcrges: "This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal."
14 Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, "If this was a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.