Bible Strands
Acts 18:28
For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Apollos confronts Jewish audiences in public debate immediately after arriving in Achaia at the encouragement of local believers. He shifts from private instruction to open confrontation to establish Jesus as the Messiah.
The words — The text highlights ἐπιδεικνὺς (epideiknus), literally "showing" or "proving," and διακατηλέγχετο (diakatēlegcheto), literally "he was refuting." These verbs describe a structured, public demonstration of scriptural claims rather than informal debate.
The thread — This pattern of scriptural proof targeting Jewish audiences appears in Acts 18:5 and Acts 9:22, where Paul and Saul similarly confound opponents by demonstrating messianic claims. The method aligns with the apostolic standard of grounding gospel proclamation in Scripture, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 15:3.
Why it lands — It requires readers to examine the Scriptures directly to verify messianic claims rather than accepting testimony on authority alone. It demands that public proclamation remain tethered to textual evidence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Cross-references
- Acts 18:5 And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
- Acts 9:22 But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
- Acts 26:22 But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:
- Luke 24:44 Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
- Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
- John 5:39 You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
- Acts 17:3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.
- Acts 18:25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
- Hebrews 7:1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,