Acts 18:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,

NIV: There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

NASB: And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them,

CSB: where he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them,

NLT: There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome.

KJV: And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

NKJV: And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.

Alone in Corinth, Paul had to leave Timothy and Silas in Berea. Jews from Thessalonica, who couldn't find them in their own city, followed him there. The Bereans, who believed the message of salvation through Jesus, sent Paul to Athens for his safety. In Athens, Paul discussed gods and the resurrection of the dead before traveling west across the isthmus to Corinth (Acts 17:10–34).

Fortunately, Paul meets refugees and fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla. The couple will become good friends to Paul and powerful missionaries. In Ephesus, they will host the church and teach Apollos about Jesus (1 Corinthians 16:19; Acts 18:24–28). They will also return to Rome and host the church there (Romans 16:3). It's interesting to note that in the six times the couple is mentioned in the New Testament, Priscilla's name comes first four times. It's not clear why; it may be she was a higher social class than her husband. "Prisca" is more formal while "Priscilla" is a nickname.

Claudius was emperor from AD 41—54, although the date of the expulsion of the Jews is unknown. Cassius Dio wrote that although Claudius initially didn't mind the Jews and wanted them to practice their own religion, later he expelled them because their numbers grew too great and he didn't want them to organize into an opposing force. That approach sounds like that of a particular Egyptian Pharaoh (Exodus 1:8–14). Suetonius claimed Claudius evicted the Jews because of their continued argument about "Chrestus." Unfortunately, no one knows who or what "Chrestus" meant as it was a term often used for good or useful slaves. Gallio was proconsul of Achaia for about two years somewhere between AD 50—54, but it's unclear how his term aligns with the eighteen months Paul is in Corinth (Acts 18:11–12).

Acts 18:1–4 sees Paul arriving in Corinth. He has traveled across modern-day Asia Minor and down the eastern coast of Macedonia and Greece. From Athens, he heads west across the isthmus to the large Greek city. There, he will meet Aquila and Priscilla, refugees from Claudius' persecutions in Rome. The couple will be a great support to him, providing him with a means of living until Silas and Timothy reach him. Priscilla and Aquila will also follow Paul to Ephesus and train Apollos, a passionate speaker who only needs to know the story of Jesus to be a great preacher (Acts 18:24–28).

Acts 18 recounts the end of Paul's second missionary journey. He leaves Athens for Corinth, in southern Greece, and works with Priscilla and Aquila as a tentmaker until Silas and Timothy rejoin him. The team stays eighteen months with no significant pressure. Eventually, Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila sail east to Ephesus. Paul leaves a short time later for Judea and Syrian Antioch before returning to Galatia for his third missionary journey. Meanwhile, Priscilla and Aquilla host the church in Ephesus and train a talented speaker named Apollos to be a minister of Christ.

Acts 18 covers the last half of Paul's second missionary journey and the first part of the third. He and his team have traveled down the east coast of Macedonia and Greece to Corinth (Acts 17) where they will spend eighteen months. Paul will stop briefly in Ephesus on their way back to Judea before visiting Jerusalem and Syrian Antioch. From there, Paul will return to Galatia in modern-day Asia Minor before returning to Ephesus for an extended stay (Acts 19). He will revisit the churches in Macedonia and Greece before facing arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.