1 Corinthians 16:12
And touching our brother Apollo, I give you to understand, that I much entreated him to come unto you with the brethren: and indeed it was not his will at all to come at this time. But he will come when he shall have leisure.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- De Apollo autem fratre vobis notum facio, quoniam multum rogavi eum ut veniret ad vos cum fratribus : et utique non fuit voluntas ut nunc veniret : veniet autem, cum ei vacuum fuerit.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- Περὶ δὲ Ἀπολλῶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, πολλὰ παρεκάλεσα αὐτὸν ἵνα ἔλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν· καὶ πάντως οὐκ ἦν θέλημα ἵνα νῦν ἔλθῃ, ἐλεύσεται δὲ ὅταν εὐκαιρήσῃ.
Haydock's commentary
As to our brother. St. Paul here makes an apology for sending Timothy to them, who was a young man, and not so renowned for eloquence and sanctity as Apollo, informing them that Apollo did not wish to come, perhaps on account of the commotions that were at Corinth on his account. (Estius)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily XL on Acts xviii. 18
(Recapitulation.) “And they came to Ephesus, and there he left them” ( v. 19 ): for he did not wish to take them about with him, but left them at Ephesus. But they subsequently dwelt at Corinth, and he bears high testimony to them, and writing to the Romans, salutes them. ( Rom. xvi. 3 .) Whence it seems to me that they afterwards went back to Rome, in the time of Nero, as having an attachment for those parts whence they had been expelled in the time of Claudius. “But he himself went into the synagogue.” It seems to me that the faithful still assembled there, for they did not immediately withdraw them. “And when they besought him to stay, he consented not” ( v. 20, 21 ), for he was hastening to Cæsarea. “And having arrived at Cæsarea,” etc., “passing through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, confirming all the disciples.” ( v. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on First Corinthians, Homily XLIV
Ver. 12 . “But as touching Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come unto you with the brethren.” This man appears to have been both well-educated and also older than Timothy. Lest they should say then, “For what possible reason did he not send the man grown, but the youth instead of him?” observe how he softens down this point also, both calling him a brother, and saying that he had besought him much. For lest he should seem to have held Timothy in higher honor than him and to have exalted him more, and on this account not to have sent him, and cause their envy to burst out more abundantly, he adds, “I besought him much to come.” What then: did not the other yield nor con sent? did he resist and show himself contentious? He saith not this, but that he might not excite prejudice against him, and also might make excuse for himself, he saith, “and it was not at all his will to come …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XXIII
“If ye receive a different Spirit, if a different Gospel which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear” with him. What sayest thou? Thou that saidst to the Galatians, “If any preach another Gospel to you than that ye have received, let him be anathema;” dost thou now say, “ye do well to bear” with him? And yet on this account it were meet not to bear with, but to recoil, from them; but if they say the same things, it is meet to bear with them. How then dost thou say, ‘because they say the same things, it is not meet to bear with them?’ for he says, ‘if they said other things, it were meet to bear with them.’ Let us then give good heed, for the danger is great, and the precipice deep, if men run past this carelessly; and what is here said giveth an entrance to all the heresies. …