Who was Apollos in the bible?

Apollos is a New Testament figure described as “a certain Jew named Apollos,” an Alexandrian by race and “an eloquent man” who was “mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). The name Apollos (Greek Ἀπολλῶς) is presented in lexicon form as likely derived from the same root as “Apollonia,” with “Apollonia” as the component word behind the derivation.

Apollos in Scripture

“Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures.” (Acts 18:24)

Acts introduces Apollos by origin and ability: he is identified as Jewish, “an Alexandrian by race,” and noted for eloquence and strength in Scripture. His first appearance in the provided passages places him arriving at Ephesus (Acts 18:24).

“While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.” (Acts 19:1)

A later note in Acts places Apollos in Corinth at a time when Paul came to Ephesus (Acts 19:1). This brief chronological marker connects Apollos with Corinth in a way that becomes significant in Paul’s later discussion of divisions in the Corinthian church.

“Now I mean this, that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ ‘I follow Apollos,’ ‘I follow Cephas,’ and, ‘I follow Christ.’” (1 Corinthians 1:12)

In 1 Corinthians, Apollos appears as one of several prominent names around which the Corinthians were forming parties. Paul reports their slogans, including “I follow Apollos” (1 Corinthians 1:12), indicating that Apollos was influential enough at Corinth to become a banner for a faction.

Apollos and the Corinthian factions

The fullest narrative context supplied is 1 Corinthians 3, where Paul treats the “I follow Apollos” attachment as an expression of immaturity and misplaced boasting. Paul’s argument unfolds from the Corinthians’ condition to a proper view of ministry, using Apollos as a key example.

“Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:1)

“I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, you aren’t ready even now,” (1 Corinthians 3:2)

“for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3)

Paul frames the Corinthians’ factionalism as evidence of being “fleshly,” describing them as “babies in Christ” who could only receive “milk” rather than “meat” (1 Corinthians 3:1–3). Jealousy, strife, and factions are the proof he cites.

“For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ aren’t you fleshly?” (1 Corinthians 3:4)

Apollos’ name is central to Paul’s example: “I follow Apollos” is treated as a symptom of fleshly thinking rather than spiritual maturity (1 Corinthians 3:4). Paul then addresses directly what Apollos (and Paul) should be understood to be in relation to the Corinthians’ faith.

“Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him?” (1 Corinthians 3:5)

Paul defines Apollos not as an object of party loyalty but as a “servant” through whom belief came, with distinct assignments granted “as the Lord gave” (1 Corinthians 3:5). This statement both lowers the status of human leaders as focal points of boasting and also acknowledges that Apollos had a real role in the Corinthians’ spiritual history.

“I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6)

“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:7)

Paul describes complementary labor: Paul’s work is “I planted,” Apollos’ work is “Apollos watered,” while the decisive growth comes from God: “God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). The conclusion is explicit: “neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,” in comparison with “God who gives the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7).

“Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (1 Corinthians 3:8)

“For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)

Rather than setting Paul and Apollos in rivalry, Paul says “he who plants and he who waters are the same,” while still maintaining personal responsibility for one’s work and reward (1 Corinthians 3:8). The larger perspective is that ministers are “God’s fellow workers,” and the Corinthians themselves are described with two images: “God’s farming” and “God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it.” (1 Corinthians 3:10)

“For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)

Paul then extends the building image: he says he laid a foundation “according to the grace of God” given to him, and “another builds on it” (1 Corinthians 3:10). In this line of reasoning Apollos fits naturally as the kind of coworker who might “build” after the foundation is laid, though the text itself simply says “another.” The key limit is theological and not personal: “no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11).

“But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble,” (1 Corinthians 3:12)

“each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is.” (1 Corinthians 3:13)

“If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.” (1 Corinthians 3:14)

“If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15)

With the foundation fixed as Christ, Paul stresses the quality and testing of later work: materials vary from durable to fragile, and “each man’s work will be revealed,” tested by fire (1 Corinthians 3:12–13). Reward or loss follows from that testing (1 Corinthians 3:14–15). In this context, Apollos is included in the category of workers whose labor is meaningful but subject to God’s evaluation rather than human boasting.

“Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

“If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:17)

Paul further grounds the seriousness of their life together by calling them “a temple of God” indwelt by God’s Spirit, and warns against destruction of that temple (1 Corinthians 3:16–17). This intensifies the rebuke of factional behavior by connecting it to the sanctity of the community.

“Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,” (1 Corinthians 3:21)

“whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours,” (1 Corinthians 3:22)

“and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:23)

The chapter’s closing movement returns to Apollos by name, rejecting hero-worship: “let no one boast in men” (1 Corinthians 3:21). Paul lists “Apollos” alongside other major names and even cosmic realities, concluding, “All are yours,” while also placing the Corinthians under Christ: “you are Christ’s” (1 Corinthians 3:22–23). Apollos is thus presented as belonging, in a proper sense, to the church’s benefit rather than as a rival leader to be boasted in.

Further mentions

“Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.” (1 Corinthians 4:6)

Paul later says he has “transferred” the discussion “to myself and Apollos,” using them as a worked example so that the Corinthians might “learn not to think beyond the things which are written,” and so that no one would be “puffed up” against another (1 Corinthians 4:6). Apollos is again paired with Paul as a teaching instrument against prideful comparison.

“Now concerning Apollos, the brother, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers; and it was not at all his desire to come now; but he will come when he has an opportunity.” (1 Corinthians 16:12)

Near the end of the letter, Apollos is called “the brother.” Paul reports that he “strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers,” but that “it was not at all his desire to come now,” though “he will come when he has an opportunity” (1 Corinthians 16:12). This portrays Apollos as having agency in his movements and as being treated with respect rather than as someone under Paul’s command.

“Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them.” (Titus 3:13)

In Titus, Apollos appears alongside another worker: “Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them” (Titus 3:13). The verse depicts Apollos as traveling and as someone for whom provision should be made.

Name and Meaning

The Greek form of the name is Ἀπολλῶς, transliterated Apollos and pronounced ap-ol-loce’. According to the provided lexicon gloss, the name is probably derived from the same root as Ἀπολλωνία (Apollonia), with Apollonia as the component word behind the derivation.

Observation

Taken together, the passages present Apollos as a gifted Scripture-competent teacher (Acts 18:24) whose ministry became associated with Corinth (Acts 19:1), yet whose proper place is defined as a “servant” in God’s work: “I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Apollos mean?

Apollos means “Apollos.”

How many times does Apollos appear in the Bible?

Apollos appears 10 times.

Who was Apollos?

Apollos was a Jew named Apollos, “an Alexandrian by race,” described as “an eloquent man” who came to Ephesus and was “mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24).

What is one specific moment involving Apollos in Acts?

“While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples” (Acts 19:1).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Apollos interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).