Acts 18:24–26

Apollos Begins His Ministry

18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus.92 He was an eloquent speaker,93 well-versed94 in the scriptures. 18:25 He had been instructed in95 the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm96 he spoke and taught accurately the facts97 about Jesus, although he knew98 only the baptism of John. 18:26 He began to speak out fearlessly99 in the synagogue,100 but when Priscilla and Aquila101 heard him, they took him aside102 and explained the way of God to him more accurately.

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92	map For location see JP1-D2; JP2-D2; JP3-D2; JP4-D2.
93	tn Or “was a learned man.” In this verse λόγιος (logios) can refer to someone who was an attractive and convincing speaker, a rhetorician (L&N 33.32), or it can refer to the person who has acquired a large part of the intellectual heritage of a given culture (“learned” or “cultured,” L&N 27.20, see also BDAG 598 s.v. λόγιος which lists both meanings as possible here). The description of Apollos’ fervent speaking in the following verses, as well as implications from 1 Cor 1–4, where Paul apparently compares his style and speaking ability with that of Apollos, suggests that eloquent speaking ability or formal rhetorical skill are in view here. This clause has been moved from its order in the Greek text (Grk “a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus, who was powerful in the scriptures”) and paired with the last element (“powerful in the scriptures”) due to the demands of clarity and contemporary English style.
94	tn Grk “powerful.” BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b has “in the Scriptures = well-versed 18:24.”
95	tn Or “had been taught.”
96	tn Grk “and boiling in spirit” (an idiom for great eagerness or enthusiasm; BDAG 426 s.v. ζέω).
97	tn Grk “the things.”
98	tn Grk “knowing”; the participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
99	tn Or “boldly.” This is a frequent term in Acts (9:27–28; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8; 26:26).
100	sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
101	sn Priscilla and Aquila. This key couple, of which Priscilla was an important enough figure to be mentioned by name, instructed Apollos about the most recent work of God. See also the note on Aquila in 18:2.
102	tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσλαμβάνω 3 has “take aside, mid. τινά someone … So prob. also Ac 18:26: Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside to teach him undisturbed.”

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