ƐYI 19

“Yɔ̄ Ī Kɛlā Lɛ Uwá Kpɔ́, Ā Híī Lɛ Okónu Klá Ŋ́”

GBƆƆ

Upɔlu ya ɛgbá ku iyi nu, amáŋ ó lɛ uklɔ ku ɔna ō ta a ta aflɛyi

Ŋma Ɔkpá Ku Úklɔ́ Kú Ācotɛ̄hɔ̄ 18:1-22

1-3. Ɔdiya nɛ Upɔlu wa Ukɔrinti a, aunwalu nyá nɛ ó kē yɔ i gbɛla lɛyikwu uwa a?

Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

² Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

³ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

CORINTH—MASTER OF TWO SEAS

Ancient Corinth lay on an isthmus between the Greek mainland and the southern peninsula, the Peloponnese. The isthmus was less than four miles (6 km) wide at its narrowest point, so Corinth had two ports. On the Gulf of Corinth was Lechaeum, serving sea routes heading westward to Italy, Sicily, and Spain. On the Saronic Gulf, Cenchreae served maritime traffic to and from the Aegean region, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt.

Since the capes at the southern extremity of the Peloponnese were windswept and dangerous for shipping, navigators often preferred to anchor at one of Corinth’s two ports, have their cargo transported overland, and reload it at the other port. Lightweight ships could even be hauled over the isthmus on a platform that ran along a grooved pavement from sea to sea. The city’s position thus allowed it to dominate east-west maritime commerce and also north-south overland trade. Lively commerce brought to Corinth not only wealth but also vices common to many ports.

In the apostle Paul’s day, Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia and an important administrative center. The religious diversity of the city is attested to by the presence of a temple for the imperial cult, shrines and temples dedicated to numerous Greek and Egyptian divinities, and a Jewish synagogue.—Acts 18:4.

The athletic competitions held every two years at nearby Isthmia were second in importance only to the Olympic Games. The apostle Paul would have been in Corinth during the games of 51 C.E. Hence, comments one Bible dictionary, “it can hardly be coincidental that his first use of athletic imagery appears in a letter to Corinth.”—1 Cor. 9:24-27.

‘É Gē Yúklɔ́ Ku Aklɔkpɛ’ (Úklɔ́ kú Ācotɛ̄hɔ̄ 18:1-4)

4, 5. (a) Imi nɛ Upɔlu yɔ ipu Ukɔrinti a, uklɔ nyá nɛ ó kē yɔ i ya a? (b) Ɛgɛnyá nɛ Upɔlu nwu ō yuklɔ ku aklɔkpɛ a?

⁴ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

⁵ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

6, 7. (a) Ɛgɛnyá nɛ Upɔlu má uklɔ ku aklɔkpɛ a, ɔdi kē mafu ka Akwila mla Uprisilai má ɔ lɛ a duu a? (b) Ɛgɛnyá nɛ Ācɛ O Yɛce Ukraist icɛ gē yɛce ocabɔ ku Upɔlu, Akwila, mla Uprisilai a?

⁶ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

⁷ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

INSPIRED LETTERS THAT PROVIDED ENCOURAGEMENT

During his 18-month stay in Corinth, about 50-52 C.E., the apostle Paul wrote at least two letters that became part of the Christian Greek Scriptures—First and Second Thessalonians. He wrote his letter to the Galatians either during the same period or shortly afterward.

First Thessalonians is the earliest of Paul’s inspired writings. Paul visited Thessalonica in about 50 C.E., during his second preaching tour. The congregation that was formed there soon had to contend with opposition, which forced Paul and Silas to leave the city. (Acts 17:1-10, 13) Concerned about the welfare of the fledgling congregation, Paul twice attempted to return, but “Satan cut across [his] path.” Paul therefore sent Timothy to comfort and strengthen the brothers. Likely late in the year 50 C.E., Timothy rejoined Paul in Corinth and brought a good report about the Thessalonian congregation. Thereafter, Paul penned this letter.—1 Thess. 2:17–3:7.

Second Thessalonians was probably written soon after the first letter, perhaps in 51 C.E. In both letters, Timothy and Silvanus (called Silas in Acts) joined Paul in sending greetings, but we have no record of these three being together again after Paul’s stay in Corinth. (Acts 18:5, 18; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1) Why did Paul write this second letter? He had apparently received more news about the congregation, perhaps via the person who had delivered his first letter. This report moved Paul not only to praise the brothers for their love and endurance but also to correct the idea of some in Thessalonica that the Lord’s presence was imminent.—2 Thess. 1:3-12; 2:1, 2.

Paul’s letter to the Galatians implies that he had visited them at least twice before writing to them. In 47-48 C.E., Paul and Barnabas visited Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, all of which lay within the Roman province of Galatia. In 49 C.E., Paul returned to the same area with Silas. (Acts 13:1–14:23; 16:1-6) Paul penned this letter because Judaizers, who followed quickly on his heels, were teaching that circumcision and observance of the Law of Moses were necessary for Christians. Doubtless Paul wrote to the Galatians as soon as he heard of this false teaching. He may well have written from Corinth, but it is also possible that he wrote either from Ephesus, during a brief stopover on his journey back to Syrian Antioch, or from Antioch itself.—Acts 18:18-23.

“Ācɛ Alɛwa Kú Ukɔ́rīnti . . . Ā Cɛ̄” (Úklɔ́ kú Ācotɛ̄hɔ̄ 18:5-8)

8, 9. Ɔdi nɛ Upɔlu ya eko néē gbɔɔ ō bɛyikwu ɔ abɔ ó yɔ i tɔɔna lɛ ācɛ Ujiyu a, imi nɛ ó kē nyɔ kóō gbɔɔ ō tɔɔna a?

⁸ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

⁹ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

10. Ɔdi mafu ka Upɔlu i dɔka ō tɔɔna lɛ ācɛ ilɔwa a foofunu ŋ ma?

¹⁰ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

11. Ɛgɛnyá nɛ Ācɛ O Yɛce Ukraist icɛ gē yɛce ocabɔ ku Upɔlu abɔ é yɔ i tɔɔna lɛ Ācɛ O Yɛce Ukraist ɛkɛmgbɛ a?

¹¹ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

“Ācɛ Alɛwa Wɛ Ācɛ Ɔlɛ́ Um Igelī Nyā” (Úklɔ́ kú Ācotɛ̄hɔ̄ 18:9-17)

12. Ɛlā ō lɔfu tu ɔcɛ iyē nyá nɛ Ujisɔsi da Upɔlu a?

¹² Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

13. Ɔdi nɛ Upɔlu lɔfu yɔ i gbɛla tu ɔ eko nɛ ó yɔ i tubla ɛga nɛ ɔcɛ ō hɛ ɛpɔ a yɔ a, ɛgɛnyá nɛ ó kē jé ka anuɔ i gáā kwū ɛgɛ nɛ Usitifin kwū a ŋ ma a?

¹³ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

“With that he drove them away from the judgment seat.”—Acts 18:16

14, 15. (a) Ɛkɛmgbɛ nyá nɛ ācɛ Ujiyu ka ba Upɔlu a, ɔdiya nɛ Ugaliyo kē je ɛpɔ a ŋmo nyi a? (b) Ɔdi ya da Usɔstenesi a, ɔdiya nɛ ācɛ ōhī gbɛla ka ó lɔfu kwu piya Ɔcɛ O Yɛce Ukraist a?

¹⁴ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

¹⁵ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

16. Ɛgɛnyá nɛ ɛlā ku Ujisɔsi nōo kahinii: “yɔ̄ ī kɛlā lɛ uwá kpɔ́, ā híī lɛ okónu klá ŋ́, ohígbū ka n yɔ̄ mla awɔ” a gē lɔfu tu alɔ iyē ō yɔ i tɔɔna gɔbu a?

¹⁶ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

“Ɔ́dāŋ Ka Ɔwɔicō Cɛ̄” (Úklɔ́ kú Ācotɛ̄hɔ̄ 18:18-22)

17, 18. Ɔdi nɛ Upɔlu lɔfu yɔ i gbɛla tu ɔ abɔ ó yɔ i gā Ɛfesɔsi a?

¹⁷ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

¹⁸ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

19, 20. Ɔdi nɛ Upɔlu ya eko nɛ ó gā Ɛfesɔsi a, ɔdi nɛ alɔ nwu ŋma ɛgiyi nu lɛyikwu ɔdā nɛ alɔ géē ya ipu oyeeyi ku alɔ o ya ɛɛ ku alɔ yɔ i gba Ujehofa ɛ̄gbā a?

¹⁹ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

²⁰ Jé Ipu Uce Ku Oyibo

PAUL’S VOW

Acts 18:18 states that while Paul was in Cenchreae, “he had his hair clipped short . . . , for he had made a vow.” What kind of vow was it?

Generally, a vow is a solemn promise voluntarily made to God to perform some act, make some offering, or enter some condition. Some suppose that Paul had his hair cut to fulfill a Nazirite vow. Yet, it should be noted that according to the Scriptures, on completing a period of special service to Jehovah, a Nazirite was to have his head shaved “at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” It would seem that such a requirement could be carried out only in Jerusalem and thus not in Cenchreae.—Num. 6:5, 18.

The Acts account says nothing regarding when Paul made his vow. It could conceivably have been made even before he became a Christian. The account is equally silent concerning whether Paul made any specific request of Jehovah. One reference work suggests that Paul’s having his hair clipped short could have been “an expression of thanksgiving to God for his protection, which had enabled [Paul] to complete his ministry at Corinth.”

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