in Scripture History, a Jew of Alexandria, who came to Ephesus during the absence of St Paul, who was gone to Jerusalem (Acts xviii. 24.) Apollos was an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures; and as he spoke with zeal and fervour, he taught diligently the things of God: but knowing only the baptism of John, he was no more than a catechumen, or one of the lowest order of Christians, and did not as yet distinctly know the mysteries of the Christian doctrine. However, he knew that Jesus Christ Christ was the Messiah, and declared himself openly to be his disciple. When therefore he came to Ephesus, he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and to show that Jesus was the Christ. Aquila and Priscilla having heard him, took him home with them; instructed him more fully in the ways of God; and baptized him, probably in the name of Jesus Christ.

Some time after this he had a mind to go into Asia; and the brethren having exhorted him to undertake this journey, they wrote to the disciples, desiring them to receive him. He arrived at Corinth; and was there very useful in convincing the Jews out of the Scriptures, and demonstrated to them that Jesus was the Christ. Thus he watered what St Paul had planted in this city (1 Cor. iii. 6.) but the great fondness which his disciples had for his person had like to have produced a schism; some "faying, I am of Paul; others, I am of Apollos; I am of Cephas." However, this division which St Paul speaks of in the chapter last quoted, did not prevent that apostle and Apollos from being closely united by the bands of charity. Apollos hearing that the apostle was at Ephesus, went to meet him, and was there when St Paul wrote the first epistle to the Corinthians; wherein he testifies that he had earnestly entreated Apollos to return to Corinth, but hitherto had not been able to prevail with him; that, nevertheless, he gave him room to hope that he would go when he had an opportunity. St Jerome says, that Apollos was so dissatisfied with the division which had happened upon his account at Corinth, that he retired into Crete with Zena, a doctor of the law; and that this disturbance having been appeased by the letter which St Paul wrote to the Corinthians, Apollos returned to this city, and was bishop thereof. The Greeks make him bishop of Duras; others say, he was bishop of Iconium in Phrygia; and others, that he was bishop of Caesarea.