Read Acts 18
Paul spends much of his time in Corinth. Corinth was a very prosperous trade center. In the past they had built a temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and had been a notoriously immoral city. It was razed to the ground centuries later by Rome. It was rebuilt by Caesar and eventually became the capital of the province of Achaea and ruled by a proconcul. Gallio was the proconsul at the time Paul was there. The Jews kept trying to get Paul arrested by the proconsul but Gallio refused to get involved.
The Jews in Rome had been kicked out so many like Pricilla and Aquila had fled to Corinth. So there was unrest everywhere. Nero eventually had Gallio killed. Paul had a reason to be concerned for his life because when fear drives people, they do bizarre things. In the midst of this atmosphere of fear and distrust God speaks to Paul in a vision and says, "Don't be afraid, but speak and don't hold back. I am with you and no man will hurt you for I have many people in this city." What an encouragement! I think that is what God would say to us today in the midst of tolerance-only-to-the-evil, fear, distrust, unrest, war, and unemployment. He would come to all of his people and say, "Don't be afraid to be bold for me, I will not let you be harmed for I have many of my people in this city. Paul believed and stayed for 1 and 1/2 years teaching the Word to them. When Paul was arrested, he didn't even have to defend himself. God used an unrighteous leader to defend him and another man, Sosthenes, took his beating.
A while later, Paul left and went back through the places he had started churches to strengthen them and make sure they were keeping the faith.
Lord, raise up "Pauls" for this generation that will not be afraid or ashamed to preach the gospel.
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