Apollos in Scripture

Apollos is mentioned ten times in the New Testament, within Acts, 1 Corinthians, and Titus.

Acts

Acts 18:24–28

• Apollos, an eloquent Alexandrian Jew, was mighty in the Scriptures and taught accurately about Jesus.
• Knew only the baptism of John; Priscilla and Aquila taught him more perfectly.
• Traveled to Achaia with letters from Ephesian believers and powerfully refuted the Jews.
• Apollos is the only explicitly named Alexandrian in the NT.
• Alexandrian Jews had both adversarial (Acts 6:9) and positive (Acts 18:24–28) roles in early Christianity.

Acts 19:1

• Mentions Apollos’s departure from Ephesus as Paul arrives, indicating active ministry in Corinth.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:12

• Church divisions: some identified with Apollos, Paul, Cephas, or Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:4–6

• Paul and Apollos are described as fellow servants with different roles; God gives the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:22

• All teachers (Paul, Apollos, Cephas) are gifts to the church, not divisive figures.

1 Corinthians 4:6

• Paul uses himself and Apollos to warn against pride and elevating leaders beyond Scripture.