Mighty in Scripture, Teachable in Spirit

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Scripture • World English Bible

Acts 18:24–28

WEB

²⁴Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures.

²⁵This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

²⁶He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

²⁷When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him; and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

²⁸for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain

Reflection

Acts 18 introduces us to Apollos — a man whose gifts and passion are unmistakable. He was eloquent, learned in the Jewish Scriptures, fervent in spirit, and he spoke accurately about Jesus as far as he understood. Yet there was something missing: his grasp of the full way of God was incomplete. Priscilla and Aquila did not expose him or condemn him; they took him aside, clarified truth, and launched him toward greater effectiveness. The result was powerful: Apollos went on to strengthen believers and to use Scripture publicly to show that Jesus is the Christ.

This short scene teaches several vital things for anyone who wants to serve the Lord faithfully. First, Scripture competence and passion are a gift to the church. Apollos’ knowledge and zeal enabled him to teach and to argue persuasively for the gospel. Second, even gifted believers can have blind spots. Knowledge does not equal maturity; zeal does not always mean complete understanding. Third, spiritual growth often happens through personal instruction, not public correction. Priscilla and Aquila’s private, loving clarity helped Apollos grow without shame. Finally, teachability produces fruit: when we accept correction and grow in truth, our ministry becomes more faithful and wins others to Christ.

This passage is both encouraging and sobering. It encourages those who study Scripture to keep learning and to use what they know to point others to Jesus. It is sobering because it reminds us that confidence must be paired with humility. If you are advanced in study, be alert to what you may not yet see. If you are newer, take heart — the church can help you mature. And if you see someone honestly mistaken, follow the example of Priscilla and Aquila: correct with gentleness, instruct privately when appropriate, and aim to strengthen, not to shame.

Apollos’ story also stresses the centrality of Scripture in witness. His final work — powerfully refuting opponents and publicly proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ — shows how the Bible is the means by which hearts are guided to the Savior. Study without pride, accept mentoring without resentment, and speak the truth of Scripture with courage and love. The pattern in Acts 18 is one of holy synergy: Scripture mastery, humble openness to instruction, and obedient proclamation that bears fruit through grace.

Putting Faith Into Action

Study the Bible with both diligence and humility: pick one New Testament book to read through slowly this month, make notes of questions, and bring at least one question to a trusted teacher or small group.
Receive correction with gratitude and practice private, gentle correction when guiding others: if you must correct someone, do it one-on-one, cite Scripture, and aim to restore and encourage.
Use Scripture to point people to Jesus: prepare a short, Scripture-based explanation of who Jesus is and why he matters so you can lovingly and clearly answer questions when opportunities arise.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your Word and for brothers and sisters who help us understand it more fully. Give us minds that love Scripture, hearts that welcome correction, and mouths that boldly and lovingly point others to Jesus. Shape us by truth and grace so our witness honors you. Amen.

Memory Verse

Acts 18:26 — He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (WEB)

“He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Keep Going Continue to Part 60 The Word Heard Across Asia: Presence, Power, and Persistent Teaching Acts · Acts 19:1–10 Read the next devotional →

Bible Context

Read all of Acts 18

Acts 18

World English Bible • WEB

¹After these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth.

²He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,

³and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

⁴He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

⁵When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

⁶When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”

⁷He departed there and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

⁸Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

⁹The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent;

¹⁰for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

¹¹He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹²But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

¹³saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

¹⁴But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you;

¹⁵but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”

¹⁶So he drove them from the judgment seat.

¹⁷Then all the Greeks seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn’t care about any of these things.

¹⁸Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow.

¹⁹He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

²⁰When they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined;

²¹but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

²²When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.

²³Having spent some time there, he departed and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.