Acts 18:23
in Acts 18After Paul had spent some time in Antioch, he traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
KJV
And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
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This verse in Acts 18
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The country of Galatia and Phrygia - He had been over these regions before, preaching the gospel, Act 16:6. Strengthening - Establishing them by exhortation and counsel. See the notes on Act 14:22.
This site's exposition
saluted the church
on Acts 18:22-23
Landing at Caesarea, Paul goes up, likely to Jerusalem though the city is not named, and salutes the church before going down to Antioch, the church that had first sent him and Barnabas out and had commissioned him again for this second tour. After some time there he departs once more, traveling in order through Galatia and Phrygia, revisiting the churches planted earlier and strengthening the disciples in them. The verse marks the quiet close of one tour and the opening steps of the next, a transition Luke passes over in a single sentence though it likely covered many months of travel. The bench notes the discipline visible in the pattern, Paul repeatedly returning to confirm and strengthen churches already planted rather than only pressing to new ground.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the Church, he went down to Antioch. And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples." He came again to those places which he had previously visited. Through these regions also he merely passes again, just enough to establish them by his presence.
The Medieval Church1 voice
To visit the faithful and strengthen them was the constant rule of Paul, so that, if he found them growing weak, he might lighten their burden with pastoral instruction.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And after he had spent some time there,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Galatia and Phrygia in order--visiting the several churches in succession. Galatia is mentioned first here, as he would come to it first from Antioch. It was on this visitation that he ordained the weekly collection (1Co 16:1, 2), which has been since adopted generally, and converted into a public usage throughout Christendom.
Went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia - Both were provinces of Asia Minor: see on Act 2:10 (note). In order - Καθεξης, A word peculiar to St. Luke; see his Gospel, Luk 1:3; Luk 8:1; and his history of the Acts, Act 3:24; Act 11:4, and the place above; the only places where this word occurs in the New Testament. It properly signifies, in order, distinctly, particularly; from κατα, according to, and ἑξη, order, as opposed to confusion, indistinctness, etc. If St. Paul went up to Jerusalem at this time, which we are left to infer, for Luke has not expressed it, (Act 18:22), it was his fourth journey thither; and this is generally supposed to have been the twenty-first year after his conversion. His first journey is mentioned Act 9:26; his second, Act 11:30; his third, Act 15:4; and his fourth, Act 18:22, the place above.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ποιήσας | poiesas | having stayed | G4160 → | 569 times |
| χρόνον | chronon | time | G5550 → | 53 times |
| τινὰ | tina | some | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἐξῆλθεν | exelthen | he went forth | G1831 → | 216 times |
| διερχόμενος | dierchomenos | passing through | G1330 → | 43 times |
| καθεξῆς | kathexes | successively | G2517 → | 5 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Γαλατικὴν | galatiken | Galatian | G1054 → | |
| χώραν | choran | region | G5561 → | 28 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Φρυγίαν, | phrugian | Phrygia, | G5435 → | 3 times |
| ἐπιστηρίζων | episterizon | strengthening | G1991 → | 4 times |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθητάς.¶ | mathetas | disciples. | G3101 → | 260 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ποιήσαςhaving stayed
poiesasG4160 →569 times
χρόνονtime
chrononG5550 →53 times
τινὰsome
tinaG5100 →528 times
ἐξῆλθενhe went forth
exelthenG1831 →216 times
διερχόμενοςpassing through
dierchomenosG1330 →43 times
καθεξῆςsuccessively
kathexesG2517 →5 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ΓαλατικὴνGalatian
galatikenG1054 →
χώρανregion
choranG5561 →28 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
Φρυγίαν,Phrygia,
phrugianG5435 →3 times
ἐπιστηρίζωνstrengthening
episterizonG1991 →4 times
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →1235 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
μαθητάς.¶disciples.
mathetasG3101 →260 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 14:22strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- 2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
- John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
- Romans 8:17
And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:2–4
We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
- 1 Peter 5:10
Through
Galatians 4:14And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus…
it leads to
- Matthew 10:40
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the…
- Matthew 10:40
Through
Acts 15:41And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
it leads to
- Acts 15:23
and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
- Acts 15:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 40; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.
