What does 2 Timothy 4:19 mean?

This verse begins Paul's four-verse conclusion to his final New Testament letter. This ending is mostly a post-script, offering various greetings and other closing comments. The first two individuals mentioned are the Christian missionary couple Prisca and Aquila. Paul first met Aquila (the husband) and Prisca (also called Priscilla) in Corinth. They were Jews from Italy who had fled to Corinth during the time of Claudius when Jews had been ordered to flee Rome (Acts 18:1–2). They were tentmakers like Paul and worked together with him in Corinth (Acts 18:3) before Paul was joined by Silas and Timothy and devoted himself full-time to preaching (Acts 18:4–5).

After more than a year and a half together in Corinth, Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila left together to various locations in route to Antioch. Priscilla and Aquila mentored Apollos in Ephesus as well (Acts 18:24–28). They were later mentioned as leading a house church in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:19) around AD 53—54, were in Rome when Romans was written around AD 55 (Romans 16:3), and were back in Ephesus when 2 Timothy was written, sometime around AD 64—67.

The household of Onesiphorus may include his family and those in his home, including servants. Some speculate the reference to the "household" of Onesiphorus may be because he had already died by this time, though this is uncertain (2 Timothy 1:16). Others speculate exactly the opposite, since earlier portions of this letter suggest Onesiphorus might have actually been the one delivering this letter in the first place (1 Timothy 1).