Acts 18:23-28
Chapter 18
23
After spending some time there, he left and traveled through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples.
24
Apollos in Ephesus
A certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived at Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker and an expert on the Scriptures,
25
and he had some knowledge of the way of the Lord. With great enthusiasm, he preached and taught accurately about Jesus, even though he knew only of John’s baptism.
26
As he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, Priscilla and Aquila heard him;
so they took him home with them and explained to him the way more clearly.
27
When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.
When he arrived, he significantly strengthened those who, by God’s grace, had become believers,
28
for he vigorously refuted the Jews, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.
Commentaries
in Corinth – Heading Toward Antioch.
During that time, Corinth, the capital of Achaia province, was a city with two contrasting cultures—Greek before and Roman afterward. With over half a million residents, it was famous for its immorality and the stark divide between the wealthy and the poor. For Paul, it was a city of love and hardship, where he spent a year and a half evangelizing, making great efforts, and writing several letters. For Luke, it was the city where the Gospel was finally opened to the pagans and the Roman Empire, after being rejected by the Jews. Today, for Christians, Corinth is remembered as the birthplace of one of the most well-known and influential early Christian communities, whose life and energy continue to inspire us as we read the two letters Paul wrote to them.
Apollos in Ephesus.
Luke highlights that Apollos needed guidance in “the way of the Lord,” and it was Priscilla and Aquila who took him aside and provided instruction. Apollos then used his enthusiasm and biblical knowledge—coming from the school of Alexandria—to preach in Corinth, likely at the invitation of the believers there.