Charles Ellicott Commentary Acts 18:19

"And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews." — Acts 18:19 (ASV)

He came to Ephesus, and left them there.—The better manuscripts give, “They came to Ephesus.” What follows seems to imply that he no longer continued to work with them, as at Corinth, but leaving them to establish themselves in their craft, began, under the pressure of his eagerness to reach Jerusalem, an independent course of teaching in the synagogues.

The first mention of Ephesus calls for a short account of its history. It had been one of the early Greek colonies on the western coast of Asia Minor. It fell under the power of Alyattes, King of Lydia, and his successor, Croesus.

From the first, it had been celebrated for the worship of Artemis (see Note on Acts 19:14). Her Temple, with its sacred image, stately courts, and hundreds of priests and priestesses of various grades, was visited by pilgrims of all nations.

It was one of the cities where East and West came into close contact with each other. There, the religion of Greece assumed a more Oriental character and was fruitful in magic, and mysteries, and charms. The Jewish population was sufficiently numerous to have a synagogue, and St. Paul, as usual, appeared in it as a teacher.