Bible Encyclopedia: Corinth

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

CORINTH

kor'-inth (Korinthos, "ornament"): A celebrated city of the Peloponnesus, capital of Corinthia, which lay North of Argolis, and with the isthmus joined the peninsula to the mainland. Corinth had three good harbors (Lechaeum, on the Corinthian, and Cenchrea and Schoenus on the Saronic Gulf), and thus commanded the traffic of both the eastern and the western seas. The larger ships could not be hauled across the isthmus (Acts 27:6, 37); smaller vessels were taken over by means of a ship tramway with wooden rails. The Phoenicians, who settled here very early, left many traces of their civilization in the industrial arts, such as dyeing and weaving, as well as in their religion and mythology. The Corinthian cult of Aphrodite, of Melikertes (Melkart) and of Athene Phoenike are of Phoenician origin. Poseidon, too, and other sea deities were held in high esteem in the commercial city. Various arts were cultivated and the Corinthians, even in the earliest times, were famous for their cleverness, inventiveness and artistic sense, and they prided themselves on surpassing the other Greeks in the embellishment of their city and in the adornment of their temples. There were many celebrated painters in Corinth, and the city became famous for the Corinthian order of architecture: an order, which, by the way, though held in high esteem by the Romans, was very little used by the Greeks themselves. It was here, too, that the dithyramb (hymn to Dionysus) was first arranged artistically to be sung by a chorus; and the Isthmian games, held every two years, were celebrated just outside the city on the isthmus near the Saronic Gulf. But the commercial and materialistic spirit prevailed later. Not a single Corinthian distinguished himself in literature. Statesmen, however, there were in abundance: Periander, Phidon, Timoleon.

Harbors are few on the Corinthian Gulf. Hence, no other city could wrest the commerce of these waters from Corinth. According to Thucydides, the first ships of war were built here in 664 B.C. In those early days Corinth held a leading position among the Greek cities; but in consequence of her great material prosperity she would not risk all as Athens did, and win eternal supremacy over men: she had too much to 1ose to jeopardize her material interests for principle, and she soon sank into the second class. But when Athens, Thebes, Sparta and Argos fell away, Corinth came to the front again as the wealthiest and most important city in Greece; and when it was destroyed by Mummius in 146 B.C., the treasures of art carried to Rome were as great as those of Athens. Delos became the commercial center for a time; but when Julius Caesar restored Corinth a century later (46 B.C.), it grew so rapidly that the Roman colony soon became again one of the most prominent centers in Greece. When Paul visited Corinth, he found it the metropolis of the Peloponnesus. Jews flocked to this center of trade (Acts 18:1-18 Romans 16:21 1 Corinthians 9:20), the natural site for a great mart, and flourishing under the lavish hand of the Caesars; and this is one reason why Paul remained there so long (Acts 18:11) instead of sojourning in the old seats of aristocracy, such as Argos, Sparta and Athens. He found a strong Jewish nucleus to begin with; and it was in direct communication with Ephesus. But earthquake, malaria, and the harsh Turkish rule finally swept everything away except seven columns of one old Doric temple, the only object above ground left today to mark the site of the ancient city of wealth and luxury and immorality-the city of vice paragraph excellence in the Roman world. Near the temple have been excavated the ruins of the famous fount of Peirene, so celebrated in Greek literature. Directly South of the city is the high rock (over 1,800 ft.) Acrocorinthus, which formed an impregnable fortress. Traces of the old ship-canal across the isthmus (attempted by Nero in 66-67 A.D.) were to be seen before excavations were begun for the present canal. At this time the city was thoroughly Roman. Hence, the many Latin names in the New Testament: Lucius, Tertius, Gaius, Erastus, Quartus (Romans 16:21-23), Crispus, Titus Justus (Acts 18:7, 8), Fortunatus, Achaicus (1 Corinthians 16:17). According to the testimony of Dio Chrysostomus, Corinth had become in the 2nd century of our era the richest city in Greece. Its monuments and public buildings and art treasures are described in detail by Pausanias.

The church in Corinth consisted principally of non-Jews (1 Corinthians 12:2). Paul had no intention at first of making the city a base of operations (Acts 18:1; Acts 16:9, 10); for he wished to return to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:17, 18). His plans were changed by a revelation (Acts 18:9, 10). The Lord commanded him to speak boldly, and he did so, remaining in the city eighteen months. Finding strong opposition in the synagogue he left the Jews and went to the Gentiles (Acts 18:6). Nevertheless, Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue and his household were believers and baptisms were numerous (Acts 18:8); but no Corinthians were baptized by Paul himself except Crispus, Gaius and some of the household of Stephanas (1 Corinthians 1:14, 16) "the firstfruits of Achaia" (1 Corinthians 16:15). One of these, Gaius, was Paul's host the next time he visited the city (Romans 16:23). Silas and Timothy, who had been left at Berea, came on to Corinth about 45 days after Paul's arrival. It was at this time that Paul wrote his first Epistle to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 3:6). During Gallio's administration the Jews accused Paul, but the proconsul refused to allow the case to be brought to trial. This decision must have been looked upon with favor by a large majority of the Corinthians, who had a great dislike for the Jews (Acts 18:17). Paul became acquainted also with Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18, 26 Romans 16:3 2 Timothy 4:19), and later they accompanied him to Ephesus. Within a few years after Paul's first visit to Corinth the Christians had increased so rapidly that they made quite a large congregation, but it was composed mainly of the lower classes: they were neither `learned, influential, nor of noble birth' (1 Corinthians 1:26).

Paul probably left Corinth to attend the celebration of the feast at Jerusalem (Acts 18:21). Little is known of the history of the church in Corinth after his departure. Apollos came from Ephesus with a letter of recommendation to the brethren in Achaia (Acts 18:27 2 Corinthians 3:1); and he exercised a powerful influence (Acts 18:27, 28 1 Corinthians 1:12); and Paul came down later from Macedonia. His first letter to the Corinthians was written from Ephesus. Both Titus and Timothy were sent to Corinth from Ephesus (2 Corinthians 7:13, 15 1 Corinthians 4:17), and Timothy returned by land, meeting Paul in Macedonia (2 Corinthians 1:1), who visited Greece again in 56-57 or 57-58.

LITERATURE.

Leake, Travels in the Morea, IlI, 229-304; Peloponnesiaca, 392; Curtius, Peloponnesos, II, 514; Clark, Peloponnesus, 42-61; Conybeare and Howson, The Life and Epistles' of Paul, chapter xii; Ramsay, "Corinth" (in HDB); Holm, History of Greece, I, 286; II, 142, and 306-16; III, 31-44, and 283; IV, 221, 251, 347 and 410-12.

J. E. Harry

Greek

2882. Korinthos -- Corinth, a city of Greece
... Corinth, a city of Greece. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Korinthos
Phonetic Spelling: (kor'-in-thos) Short Definition: Corinth Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2882.htm - 6k

2747. Kegchreai -- Cenchrea, a port of Corinth
... Cenchrea, a port of Corinth. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Kegchreai
Phonetic Spelling: (keng-khreh-a'-hee) Short Definition: Cenchreae ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2747.htm - 6k

883. Achaikos -- "an Achaian," Achaicus, a Christian at Corinth
... 882, 883. Achaikos. 884 . "an Achaian," Achaicus, a Christian at Corinth. Part
of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Achaikos Phonetic Spelling: (ach ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/883.htm - 6k

4734. Stephanas -- "crowned," Stephanas, a Christian at Corinth
... 4733, 4734. Stephanas. 4735 . "crowned," Stephanas, a Christian at Corinth.
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Stephanas Phonetic Spelling: ( ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4734.htm - 6k

2881. Korinthios -- Corinthian
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: Korinthios Phonetic Spelling:
(kor-in'-thee-os) Short Definition: Corinthian Definition: Corinthian, of Corinth. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2881.htm - 6k

5415. Phortounatos -- "prosperous, lucky," Fortunatus, a Christian
... Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Phortounatos Phonetic Spelling: (for-too-nat'-os)
Short Definition: Fortunatus Definition: Fortunatus, a Christian of Corinth. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5415.htm - 6k

3066. Loukios -- Lucius, the name of two Christians
... Lucius, (a) of Cyrene, an early Christian, in the church of Antioch, by some identified
with the evangelist Luke, (b) a Christian with Paul at Corinth, by some ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3066.htm - 6k

4988. Sosthenes -- "of safe strength," Sosthenes, the name of a ...
... Transliteration: Sosthenes Phonetic Spelling: (soce-then'-ace) Short Definition:
Sosthenes Definition: Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue at Corinth. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4988.htm - 6k

2921. Krispos -- Crispus, a Corinthian Christian
... Transliteration: Krispos Phonetic Spelling: (kris'-pos) Short Definition: Crispus
Definition: Crispus, ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, converted and ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2921.htm - 6k

5514. Chloe a prim. word -- Chloe.
... word Phonetic Spelling: (khlo'-ay) Short Definition: Chloe Definition: Chloe, probably
with business connections either in Corinth or in Ephesus or in both. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5514.htm - 6k

Library

Paul at Corinth
... THE ACTS CHAP. XIII TO END PAUL AT CORINTH. 'After ... Christ. Corinth was
a centre of commerce, of wealth, and of moral corruption. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/paul at corinth.htm

Corinth
... Lesson 24 Corinth. ... During the first century of the Christian Era, Corinth was one
of the leading cities, not only of Greece, but of the world. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 24 corinth.htm

Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth.
... Fragments from His Five Books of Commentaries on the Acts of the Church.
Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth. [ad170.] Eusebius is almost ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the decretals/dionysius bishop of corinth.htm

The Story of a Maiden of Corinth, and a Certain Magistrianus.
... Fragments from Other Writings of Hippolytus. The story of a maiden of
Corinth, and a certain Magistrianus. The account given by ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/the story of a maiden.htm

1 Corinth. 13
... TRANSLATIONS AND PARAPHRASES IN VERSE OF SEVERAL PASSAGES OF SACRED SCRIPTURE
49 1 Corinth. 13. 8,6,8,6. Though perfect eloquence adorned. ...
/.../anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/49 1 corinth 13.htm

Corinth. 5:1-11
... TRANSLATIONS AND PARAPHRASES IN VERSE OF SEVERAL PASSAGES OF SACRED SCRIPTURE 51
2 Corinth. 5:1-11. 8,6,8,6. Soon shall this earthly frame, dissolved,. ...
/.../anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/51 2 corinth 5 1-11.htm

Apollos at Corinth
... Lesson 26 Apollos at Corinth. [This chapter is based on Acts 18:18-28.] After
leaving Corinth, Paul's next scene of labor was Ephesus. ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 26 apollos at corinth.htm

Paul in Corinth.
... LECTURES LECTURE XXI. PAUL IN CORINTH. Chap. xviii.1-17. THE commission
of Jesus Christ to his Apostles, authorised them to preach ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxi paul in corinth.htm

Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and the Epistles which He Wrote.
... Book IV. Chapter XXIII."Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and the Epistles
which he wrote. 1. And first we must speak of Dionysius ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xxiii dionysius bishop of corinth.htm

1 Corinth. 15:52, to the End
... TRANSLATIONS AND PARAPHRASES IN VERSE OF SEVERAL PASSAGES OF SACRED SCRIPTURE 50
1 Corinth. 15:52, to the end. 8,6,8,6. When the last trumpet's awful voice. ...
/.../anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/50 1 corinth 15 52 to.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Corinth

which is satisfied; ornament; beauty

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Corinth

an ancient and celebrated city of Greece, on the Isthmus of Corinth, and about 40 miles west of Athens. In consequence of its geographical position it formed the most direct communication between the Ionian and AEgean seas. A remarkable feature was the Acrocorinthus, a vast citadel of rock, which rises abruptly to the height of 2000 feet above the level of the sea, and the summit of which is so extensive that it once contained a whole town. The situation of Corinth, and the possession of its eastern and western harbors, Cenchreae and Lechaeum, are the secrets of its history. Corinth was a place of great mental activity, as well as of commercial and manufacturing enterprise. Its wealth was so celebrated as to be proverbial; so were the vice and profligacy of its inhabitants. The worship of Venus where was attended with shameful licentiousness. Corinth is still an episcopal see. The city has now shrunk to a wretched village, ont he old site and bearing the old name, which, however, is corrupted into Gortho . St. Paul preached here, (Acts 18:11) and founded a church, to which his Epistles to the Corinthians are addressed. [EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS, FIRST EPISTLE TO THE, CORINTHIANS, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE]

ATS Bible Dictionary

Corinth

Called anciently Ephyra, the capital of Achaia, and seated on the isthmus which separates the Ionian Sea from the Aegean, and hence called bimaris, "on two seas." The city itself stood a little inland; but it had two ports, Lechaeum on the west, and Cenchrea on the east. Its position gave it great commercial and military importance; for while the traffic of the east and west poured through its gates, as over the isthmus of Darien the commerce of two oceans, it was also at the gate of the Peloponnesus, and was the highway between Northern and Southern Greece. Its defense, besides the city walls, was in the Acro-corinth, a mass of rock, rising 2,000 feet above the sea, with precipitous sides, and with room for a town upon its summit. Corinth thus became one of the most populous and wealthy cities of Greece; but its riches produced pride, ostentation, effeminacy, and all the vices generally consequent on plenty. Lasciviousness, particularly, was not only tolerated, but consecrated here, by the worship of Venus, and the notorious prostitution of numerous attendants devoted to her. Corinth was destroyed by the Romans, B.C. 146. It was afterwards restored by Julius Caesar, who planted in it a Roman colony; but though it soon regained its ancient splendor, it also relapsed into all its former dissipation and licentiousness. Paul arrived at Corinth, A. D. 52, Acts 18:1, and lodged with Aquila and his wife Priscilla, who, as well as himself, were tentmakers. Supporting himself by this labor, he remained at Corinth a year and a half, preaching the gospel at first to the Jews, and afterwards more successfully to the Gentiles. During this time he wrote the epistles to the Thessalonians; and in a subsequent visit, the epistles to the Galatians and Romans. Some suppose he made a short intervening visit, not narrated in the Bible. Compare 2 1 Corinthians 13:1 with 2 1 Corinthians 1:15 2:1:12:14,21 13:2. Apollos followed him in his labors at Corinth, and Aquila and Sosthenes were also among its early minister, Acts 18:1 1 1 Corinthians 1:1 16:19. Its sited is now unhealthy and almost deserted, with few vestiges of its former greatness.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A Grecian city, on the isthmus which joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. It is about 48 miles west of Athens. The ancient city was destroyed by the Romans (B.C. 146), and that mentioned in the New Testament was quite a new city, having been rebuilt about a century afterwards and peopled by a colony of freedmen from Rome. It became under the Romans the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia (Acts 18:12-16). It was noted for its wealth, and for the luxurious and immoral and vicious habits of the people. It had a large mixed population of Romans, Greeks, and Jews. When Paul first visited the city (A.D. 51 or 52), Gallio, the brother of Seneca, was proconsul. Here Paul resided for eighteen months (18:1-18). Here he first became aquainted with Aquila and Priscilla, and soon after his departure Apollos came to it from Ephesus. After an interval he visited it a second time, and remained for three months (20:3). During this second visit his Epistle to the Romans was written (probably A.D. 55). Although there were many Jewish converts at Corinth, yet the Gentile element prevailed in the church there.

Some have argued from 2 Corinthians 12:14; 13:1, that Paul visited Corinth a third time (i.e., that on some unrecorded occasion he visited the city between what are usually called the first and second visits). But the passages referred to only indicate Paul's intention to visit Corinth (Comp. 1 Corinthians 16:5, where the Greek present tense denotes an intention), an intention which was in some way frustrated. We can hardly suppose that such a visit could have been made by the apostle without more distinct reference to it.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A city of Greece, famed for its luxury and extravagance.

2. (n.) A small fruit; a currant.

Thesaurus

Corinth (13 Occurrences)
... Although there were many Jewish converts at Corinth, yet the Gentile element prevailed
in the church there. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CORINTH. ...
/c/corinth.htm - 21k

Aquila (7 Occurrences)
... Eagle, a native of Pontus, by occupation a tent-maker, whom Paul met on his first
visit to Corinth (Acts 18:2). Along with his wife Priscilla he had fled from ...
/a/aquila.htm - 13k

Erastus (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Beloved. (1.) The "chamberlain" of the city of
Corinth (Romans 16:23), and one of Paul's disciples. As ...
/e/erastus.htm - 9k

Stephanas (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Crown, a member of the church at Corinth, whose family
were among those the apostle had baptized (1 Corinthians 1:16; 16:15, 17). ...
/s/stephanas.htm - 10k

Titus (15 Occurrences)
... We find him, at a later period, with Paul and Timothy at Ephesus, whence he was
sent by Paul to Corinth for the purpose of getting the contributions of the ...
/t/titus.htm - 29k

Gaius (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary. (1.) A Macedonian, Paul's fellow-traveller, and his
host at Corinth when he wrote his Epistle to the Romans (16:23). ...
/g/gaius.htm - 10k

Agape
... up in the Corinthian church at the meetings for the observance of the Lord's Supper
(1 Corinthians 11:20-22, 33, 34) make it evident that in Corinth as in ...
/a/agape.htm - 15k

Sicyon
... 140 BC, and Philo). Sicyon was situated 18 miles West of Corinth on the south
side of the Gulf of Corinth. Its antiquity and ancient ...
/s/sicyon.htm - 7k

Achaia (11 Occurrences)
... In 146 BC Corinth was destroyed and the League broken up (see 1 Maccabees 15:23);
and the whole of Greece, under the name of Achaia, was transformed into a ...
/a/achaia.htm - 13k

Macedonia (23 Occurrences)
... The history of Paul's first journey through Macedonia is given in detail in Acts
16:10-17:15. At the close of this journey he returned from Corinth to Syria. ...
/m/macedonia.htm - 40k

Bible Concordance

Corinth (13 Occurrences)

Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 18:8 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.
(Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 18:11 So Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six months, teaching among them the Message of God.
(WEY)

Acts 18:18 After remaining a considerable time longer in Corinth, Paul took leave of the brethren and set sail for Syria; and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had shaved his head at Cenchreae, because he was bound by a vow.
(WEY NIV)

Acts 18:27 Then, as he had made up his mind to cross over into Greece, the brethren wrote to the disciples in Corinth begging them to give him a kindly welcome. Upon his arrival he rendered valuable help to those who through grace had believed;
(WEY)

Acts 19:1 It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Corinthians 1:2 to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Corinthians 4:18 But some of you have been puffed up through getting the idea that I am not coming to Corinth.
(WEY)

2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Corinthians 1:16 and to pass by way of Corinth into Macedonia. Then my plan was to return from Macedonia to you, and be helped forward by you to Judaea.
(WEY BBE)

2 Corinthians 1:23 But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Corinthians 10:14 For there is no undue stretch of authority on our part, as though it did not extend to you. We pressed on even to Corinth, and were the first to proclaim to you the Good News of the Christ.
(WEY)

2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Corinth

Corinth by Erastus, a Christian of

Corinth: The Congregation of Abuse of Ordinances In

Corinth: The Congregation of Alienation of, from Paul

Corinth: The Congregation of Heresies In

Corinth: The Congregation of Immortalities In

Corinth: The Congregation of Lawsuits In

Corinth: The Congregation of Liberality of

Corinth: The Congregation of Paul's Letters To

Corinth: The Congregation of Schism In