Acts 18:18-28
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.
23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a] and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
While in Corinth Paul became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla...The husband and wife had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome...Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was...Paul would teach them about Jesus...Paul would start the Corinthian church at that time with them...Priscilla and Aquila, were friends of Paul and also mentors to Apollos...Over a year later Paul left for Ephesus and took Aquila and Priscilla with him to teach the Ephesians about Jesus...The preacher and teacher named Apollos who was taught more about Jesus by Aquila and Priscilla were all with Paul...Apollos was a native of Alexandria, Egypt...He came to Ephesus with them as a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures...And now he was becoming familiar with Jesus and His resurrection...He had been instructed in the Way of the LORD, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John...He began to speak boldly in the synagogue...When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the Way of God more adequately...
The husband and wife, Aquila and Priscila, show us the daring and beautiful possibilities of men and women working together for the flourishing of the Kingdom of God...Every Sabbath in the synagogue, while with the others, Paul and this group reasoned in the synagogue, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks that Jesus is our Messiah...
But does not mean that problems will not come up...While in Corinth the church, the members started choosing sides and they wanted Apollos to be their preacher...Evidently against Apollos’ wishes, there was this sect or group in Corinth that claimed Apollos as their spiritual mentor, to the exclusion of Paul and Peter...Paul would deal with this partisanship in 1 Corinthians 1:12-13...Jesus is not divided, and neither should we be divided...Paul appealed to the divided members, in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and in thought...The brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed Paul that there are quarrels among you...What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”...Paul ask is Christ divided?...Was Paul crucified for you?...Were you baptized in the name of Paul?...I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name...(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.)...For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power...
We are to love our neighbors, all neighbors...We cannot love personality or put a robust personality over Truth and the Truth of Jesus...For as we know God's Word is Truth and Jesus is Truth, the Way, and the Life...Jesus wants us in harmony and unity...He wants His followers unified...Jesus teaches us to love one another...
Apollos is last mentioned in the Bible in Paul’s letter to Titus: “Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need” (Titus 3:13)...Presumably, Apollos was on his way through Crete (where Titus was) at this time...And Paul still considered Apollos to be a valuable co-worker and friend and Apostle...