Naravist

Person in the New Testament

Apollos

Apollos: the Alexandrian preacher taught more perfectly and named at Corinth

Portrait of Apollos. An AI-generated artistic interpretation, not a historical likeness.

Portrait: an AI-generated artistic interpretation, not evidence of how Apollos looked.

Who Apollos is

Acts introduces him as a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, who came to Ephesus. It says he was instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent in the spirit, and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. When he speaks boldly in the synagogue, Aquila and Priscilla take him unto them and expound the way of God more perfectly. The brethren then write to Achaia asking the disciples to receive him, and he helps them much which had believed through grace and mightily convinces the Jews publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. Acts places him at Corinth when Paul comes to Ephesus. First Corinthians reports that people said I am of Paul and I of Apollos, asks who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, says I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase, lists Paul and Apollos among the things that belong to the readers, and says the writer transferred these things in a figure to himself and to Apollos. It also says the writer greatly desired him to come, but his will was not at all to come at this time. Titus asks that Zenas the lawyer and Apollos be brought on their journey so that nothing be wanting unto them.

Cited passages: Acts 18:24, Acts 18:25, Acts 18:26, Acts 18:27, Acts 18:28, Acts 19:1, 1 Corinthians 1:12, 1 Corinthians 3:4, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 3:6, 1 Corinthians 3:22, 1 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 16:12, Titus 3:13

Historical setting

The description of him as born at Alexandria, eloquent and mighty in the scriptures is the narrator's, and none of his words are quoted anywhere in these passages. Knowing only the baptism of John is stated before Aquila and Priscilla teach him, and no rebaptism is reported. The party slogans in 1 Corinthians are quoted as what the letter says the readers were saying, not as claims Apollos made; the letter's own answer places him and Paul as ministers by whom ye believed. His refusal to travel at that time is given as his own will, with no reason attached. Titus mentions him only as a traveller to be supplied on a journey with Zenas the lawyer, and says nothing of where he was going.

Cited passages: Acts 18:24, Acts 18:25, Acts 18:26, 1 Corinthians 1:12, 1 Corinthians 3:4, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 16:12, Titus 3:13

How the story is told

He arrives already equipped and is still corrected, and the correction takes one clause with no dispute reported. In Acts he also moves the plot: the note that he was at Corinth is what places Paul at Ephesus for the next chapter. In 1 Corinthians his name becomes a test case. The letter pairs him with Paul to argue against preferring one man to another, then replaces the comparison with an image in which one plants and one waters and neither is the one who gives the increase. The last mention of him there is a refusal to travel, reported without complaint.

Cited passages: Acts 18:26, Acts 18:27, Acts 18:28, Acts 19:1, 1 Corinthians 3:4, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 3:6, 1 Corinthians 3:7, 1 Corinthians 3:22, 1 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 16:12

Story moments

  1. Arrival at Ephesus (Acts 18:24). A Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria and mighty in the scriptures, comes to Ephesus.
  2. Knowing only John's baptism (Acts 18:25). He teaches diligently the things of the Lord while knowing only the baptism of John.
  3. Taught more perfectly (Acts 18:26). Aquila and Priscilla take him aside and expound the way of God to him.
  4. Convincing publickly in Achaia (Acts 18:28). He shews by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
  5. Named in a party slogan (1 Corinthians 1:12). The letter reports people saying they are of Paul, of Apollos, of Cephas or of Christ.
  6. Planting and watering (1 Corinthians 3:6). The letter says one planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the increase.
  7. Unwilling to come yet (1 Corinthians 16:12). He is asked to visit Corinth and declines to come at that time.

Key passages

Acts 18:24

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

Acts 19:1

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

1 Corinthians 1:12

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:4

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

1 Corinthians 3:5

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

1 Corinthians 3:6

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

King James Version. 10 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

The letter says one planted and Apollos watered while God gave the increase, and it still has to answer people calling themselves by one name or the other. Why is a teacher's name so easy to turn into a side?

Books Apollos appears in

Related people

Names and references are adapted from STEPBible TIPNR. A person listed with a verse is named or indexed there; it does not mean they wrote or spoke it.