Apollos

Portrait of Apollos

Apollos was an eloquent Jewish Christian from Alexandria, Egypt, who possessed a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures and initially taught accurately about Jesus while knowing only the baptism of John. After arriving in Ephesus, he was taken aside by Priscilla and Aquila, who explained the way of God to him more completely, enabling him to preach with greater power and to refute Jewish opponents publicly by proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. His subsequent ministry in Corinth proved highly effective and led some believers to align themselves with him rather than Paul, creating factions that Paul later addressed in 1 Corinthians by emphasizing that all leaders serve Christ. This account illustrates the early churchโ€™s collaborative teaching, the value of precise doctrinal instruction, and the priority of unity over personal loyalties among believers.

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Biography

Occupation
Teacher, Preacher
Era
New Testament (c. AD 52-55)
Nationality
Jewish, Alexandrian
New Testament New Testament Era Other Acts

Did You Know?

1

Apollos originated from Alexandria, the intellectual center of the Hellenistic world where the Septuagint was translated, which likely equipped him with exceptional rhetorical training and mastery of the Greek Old Testament unmatched by most early preachers.

2

Before meeting Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus, Apollos preached fervently using only the baptism of John, requiring private correction to align his message fully with the completed work of Jesus and the gift of the Spirit.

3

Paul deliberately downplayed his own role versus Apollos in 1 Corinthians 3 by describing himself as the planter and Apollos as the waterer, a metaphor drawn from Alexandrian agricultural practices to defuse Corinthian personality cults.

4

Apollos is the only New Testament figure explicitly said to have debated publicly and 'refuted' Jewish opponents in the synagogue using Scripture, demonstrating a level of formal debate skill rare among the apostles themselves.

5

Later references in Titus 3 link Apollos with Zenas the lawyer, indicating he continued traveling with legally trained companions to support churches facing Roman administrative challenges.

Key Passages

Apollos in Ephesus

Acts 18:24-28

This passage shows how a humble, teachable spirit equips even gifted believers to grow and serve others more effectively.

A24nd a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. 27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: 28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

Read full chapter: Acts 18 โ†’

Apollos in Corinth

1 Corinthians 3:4-9

This passage shows that God alone gives spiritual growth, so believers should humbly serve together instead of dividing over human leaders.

F4or while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are Godโ€™s husbandry, ye are Godโ€™s building.

Read full chapter: 1 Corinthians 3 โ†’

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