18:26a
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: This clause implies that Apollos spoke the gospel of Jesus in the synagogue. In some languages a literal translation would not imply that. If that is true in your language, you may want to include the implied information in your translation. For example:
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue ⌊about Jesus⌋
began to speak boldly in the synagogue: Here the phrase began to indicates that Apollos spoke a number of times in the synagogue. It probably also implies that this was the first time he spoke. For example:
spoke boldly in the synagogue on a number of occasions
-or-
spoke boldly in the synagogue at various times
18:26b
When Priscilla and Aquila heard him:
Priscilla and Aquila remained in Ephesus after Paul left (18:19–21). They talked to Apollos after he finished speaking. For example:
After Priscilla and Aquila heard him ⌊speak⌋
Priscilla and Aquila: See how you spelled these names in 18:2.
they took him in: This clause in Greek is literally “(they) took him aside.” The Greek verb has three possible meanings. The two common choices here are:
(1) Priscilla and Aquila took him to where they could talk privately. This may have been in the synagogue or outside it. For example:
they took him aside (New Revised Standard Version)
(Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, English Standard Version, Revised English Bible)
(2) Priscilla and Aquila took him to their home. For example:
they took him home with them (Good News Translation)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because without a location in the Greek like “to the house,” the second meaning of the Greek word (“take aside”) is more likely here.
18:26c
the way of God: This phrase is similar in meaning as “the way of the Lord” (18:25a). No difference in meaning is intended here. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate or imply that this phrase has a different meaning than the meaning of “the way of the Lord.” If that is true in your language, you may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
This refers to the same thing as “the way of the Lord” in 18:25.
more accurately: This phrase in Greek is literally “more exact.” Apollos did not know some important information about Jesus. So Priscilla and Aquila told him that information. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
more detailed instruction (New Jerusalem Bible)
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