Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.
Parallel translations
- WEB Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.
- KJV And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
- BSB Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.
- NKJV Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
- NASB Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household; and many of the Corinthians, as they listened to Paul, were believing and being baptized.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Crispus, the synagogue ruler, believed along with his whole household, and many Corinthians believed and were baptized.
Overview
The conversion of the synagogue leader was a striking sign of the gospel's power, and Paul personally baptized Crispus (1 Cor. 1:14). Whole households coming to faith reflects the New Testament pattern of the gospel reaching families. This wave of belief and baptism marks the visible birth of the Corinthian church.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- 1 Cor 1:13–17Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
- Mark 16:15–16He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.
- Rom 10:14–17How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?
- Acts 11:14who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’
- Acts 8:12But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
- Acts 18:17Then all the Greeks laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn’t care about any of these things.
- Acts 2:37–41Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
- Gen 18:19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
- Acts 8:35–38Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus.
- Acts 10:2a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.
- Mark 5:22Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet,
- Gen 17:27All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
- Acts 13:15After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”
- Acts 16:34He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.
- Matt 28:19Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
- Acts 16:14–15A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.
- Mark 5:35While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”
- Josh 24:15If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 18:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.