Apollos was desirous of going on into Achaia, and the brethren at Ephesus "wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him" as a teacher in full harmony with the church of Christ. He went to Corinth, where, in public labor and from house to house, "he mightily convinced the Jews, . . . showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ." Paul had planted the seed of truth; Apollos now watered it. The success that attended Apollos in preaching the gospel led some of the believers to exalt his labors above those of Paul. This comparison of man with man brought into the church a party spirit that threatened to hinder greatly the progress of the gospel.

Apollos nærede ønske om at drage til Akaja, og brødrene i Efesus "skrev til disciplene dér og tilskyndede dem til at at tage vel imod ham" som en lærer, der helt var i samklang med Kristi menighed. Han rejste til Korint, hvor han både ved husbesøg og offentlig prædiken "gendrev jøderne med stor kraft og beviste ved hjælp af skrifterne, at Jesus er Kristus." Paulus havde sået sandhedens sæd, nu vandede Apollos den! De gode resultater af Apollos forkyndelse af evangeliet fik nogle af de troende til at fremhæve hans gerning frem for Paulus. Denne sammenligning af det ene menneske med det andet bragte en partiånd ind i menigheden, som truede med at stille sig i høj grad hindrende i vejen for evangeliets fremgang.