“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.”
My Notes
What Does Acts 18:2 Mean?
Luke introduces Aquila and Priscilla—a Jewish couple expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius' edict banishing all Jews—who become Paul's hosts, coworkers, and ministry partners. The introduction is notably egalitarian: Priscilla is named alongside Aquila as an equal partner, and in later references, her name often appears first (Acts 18:26, Romans 16:3).
The couple's displacement from Rome was politically motivated—Claudius expelled the Jews, likely due to disturbances in the Jewish community related to the gospel (the Roman historian Suetonius records expulsions connected to "Chrestus," probably Christ). Their exile wasn't for personal failure. It was the consequence of living in a time when following Christ made you a target of imperial policy.
Paul "came unto them" because they shared his trade: tentmaking (verse 3). The connection was practical before it was spiritual—they worked together because they had the same skill. Ministry partnership grew from a shared workspace. The most significant missionary team in Paul's career began with a shared occupation and a shared exile.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Has displacement—losing a job, a home, a community—ever positioned you for something better?
- 2.Priscilla is named as an equal ministry partner. How does her example speak to women's roles in spiritual leadership?
- 3.Paul found them through a shared trade. What everyday connection might God use to bring your next ministry partnership?
- 4.The exile from Rome positioned them for ministry in Corinth. What 'exile' in your life might be positioning you for your next assignment?
Devotional
Aquila and Priscilla: exiled from Rome, displaced by imperial decree, arriving in Corinth with nothing but their trade. And Paul finds them—drawn by shared occupation (tentmaking), staying for shared mission. The most important ministry partnership of Paul's career begins with a couple who just lost everything.
Priscilla is named as an equal partner throughout the New Testament—sometimes listed before her husband, which in ancient writing was a deliberate signal of prominence. She wasn't Aquila's silent support. She was a teacher, a theologian, and a ministry leader in her own right. When Apollos needed correction in his theology (Acts 18:26), both Priscilla and Aquila pulled him aside and explained the way of God "more perfectly." A married couple. Teaching together. The woman named first.
Their displacement—kicked out of Rome by imperial decree—looked like disaster. They lost their home, their community, their business network. And the displacement put them in Corinth, where Paul found them. The exile that seemed like the worst thing that could happen positioned them for the most important partnership of their lives. What Rome meant for harm, God used for gospel.
If you've been displaced—moved by circumstances you didn't choose, pushed out of a place you loved—Priscilla and Aquila's story suggests the displacement has a destination. You didn't just lose a home. You were positioned for a partnership. The exile isn't the end of your story. It's the setup for the chapter where God introduces you to the person or purpose you couldn't have met if you'd stayed.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And found a certain Jew named Aquila,.... This seems to have been his Roman name, which he had took, or was given him,…
And found a certain Jew - Aquila is mentioned elsewhere as the friend of Paul, Rom 16:3; 2Ti 4:19; 1Co 16:19. Though a…
A certain Jew named Aquila - Some have supposed that this Aquila was the same with the Onkelos, mentioned by the Jews.…
We do not find that Paul was much persecuted at Athens, nor that he was driven thence by any ill usage, as he was from…
a certain Jew named Aquila The name Aquilais a Latin word, and it is not likely that this was the man's Jewish name, but…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture