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Acts 18:2

in Acts 18

There 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 went to visit them,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome: and he came unto them;

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.

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This verse in Acts 18

Commentary

12 notes on this verse
And found a certain Jew named Aquila,.... This seems to have been his Roman name, which he had took, or was given him, while he was at Rome; very likely his Jewish name was נשד, "Nesher", which signifies an eagle, as "Aquila" does: unless it should rather be thought to be a Greek name; and as "Olympas" is from "Olympios", and "Nymphas" from Nymphios"; so "Akilas", as it in the Greek text, from Akylios", and this from ακυλος, "Akylos", which signifies an acorn.

This site's exposition

came to Corinth

on Acts 18:1-3

Paul leaves Athens, where the philosophical hearing produced only a small harvest, and comes to Corinth, a Roman colony and trade hub notorious across the ancient world for moral looseness. There he finds Aquila and Priscilla, Jewish refugees from Rome after Claudius expelled the Jews, an edict the Roman historian Suetonius independently records and dates to about AD 49, anchoring the chronology of Paul's whole mission. Being of the same craft, tentmaking, likely working leather for tents and sails, Paul lodges and works alongside them, supporting himself rather than drawing on the young churches he plants. The bench reads the detail as Paul's own later boast made visible, that he preached the gospel without charge rather than be chargeable to anyone.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 39 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"And having found a certain Jew named Aquila, of Pontus by birth, lately come from Italy"--for the greater part of his life had been passed there--"and Priscilla his wife, because that Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome." For though it was in the reign of Nero that the war against the Jews was consummated, yet from the time of Claudius and thenceforward it was fanning up, at a distance indeed, so that, were it but so, they might come to their senses, and from Rome they were now driven as common pests. This is why it is so ordered by Providence that Paul was led thither as a prisoner, that he might not as a Jew be driven away, but as acting under military custody might even be guarded there.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Acts · Written before 735.

proposed

Because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. Josephus narrates that this happened in the ninth year of Claudius. Suetonius the historian reports it in this way: Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome, as they were continually making disturbances at the instigation of …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

"Because Claudius had commanded." Under Nero, Paul reached perfection, and under Claudius a war was kindled against the Jews, and they, as dangerous people, were expelled from Rome. Therefore Providence arranged that he was brought there as a prisoner, so that he would not be …

The Reformation1 voice

A commentator

John Calvin

1509–1564

Commentaries (1554)

Also we may see how the Lord, by his singular counsel, turneth those things to his glory, and the salvation of the godly, which seem contrary to the flesh, and unhappy. Nothing is more miserable than exile, according to the sense of the flesh.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

20 ), that he might win upon them, but because the vow of the Nazarites, though ceremonial, and as such ready to vanish away, had yet a great deal of moral and very pious significance, and therefore was fit to die the last of all the Jewish ceremonies. The Nazarites are joined with the prophets ( Amos ii. 11 ), and were very much the glory of Israel ( Lam. iv.

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5 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

If Jews persecute Christians, it is not strange if heathens persecute them both. We have here Paul preaching to the Jews, and dealing with them to bring them to the faith of Christ, both the native Jews and the Greeks, that is, those that were more or less proselyted to the Jewish religion, and frequented their meetings.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The great success of his ministry there, and the encouragement Christ gave him in a vision to continue his labours there, in hopes of further success,

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

A certain Jew named Aquila - Some have supposed that this Aquila was the same with the Onkelos, mentioned by the Jews. See the article in Wolfius, Bibl. Hebr. vol. ii. p. 1147. We have no evidence that this Jew and his wife were at this time converted to the Christian religion. Their conversion was most likely the fruit of St. Paul’s lodging with them - Pontus. See the note on Act 2:

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

From this province there were Jews at Jerusalem on the great Pentecost (Ac 2:9), and the Christians of it are included among "the strangers of the dispersion," to whom Peter addressed his first Epistle (1Pe 1:1). Whether this couple were converted before Paul made their acquaintance, commentators are much divided.
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 Jew by birth, yet it is evident that he became a convert to the Christian faith. Born in Pontus - See the notes on Act 2:9. Lately come from Italy - Though the command of Claudius extended only to Rome, yet it was probably deemed not safe to remain, or it might have been difficult to procure occupation in any part of Italy. Because that Claudius - Claudius was the Roman emperor. He commenced his reign 41 a.d., and was poisoned 54 a.d. At what time in his reign this command was issued is not certainly known. Had commanded ... - This command is not mentioned by Josephus, but it is recorded by Suetonius, a Roman historian (“Life of Claudius,” chapter 25), who says that “he expelled the Jews from Rome, who were constantly exciting tumults under their leader, Chrestus.” Who this Chrestus was is not known. It might have been a foreign Jew, who raised tumults on some occasion of which we have no knowledge, as the Jews in all pagan cities were greatly prone to excitements and insurrections. Or it may be that Suetonius, little acquainted with Jewish affairs, mistook this for the name Christ, and supposed that he was the leader of the Jews. […]

The words behind it

31 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

13 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Romans 16:3–4Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,9 works1 Corinthians 16:19The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.9 works2 Timothy 4:19Greet Prisca and Aquila, as well as the household of Onesiphorus.9 worksActs 11:28One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)6 worksActs 18:26And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him in and explained to him the way of God more accurately.6 worksActs 18:18Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.4 works
The other 7 cross-references, with their words ▾
Acts 2:9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,4 worksActs 27:1When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.4 worksHebrews 13:24Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.3 works1 Peter 1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen3 worksActs 28:16When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.2 worksActs 16:20They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil2 worksActs 2:10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Timothy 4:19

    Greet Prisca and Aquila, as well as the household of Onesiphorus.

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 16:19

      The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.

    • Romans 16:3–4

      Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

    • 2 Timothy 1:16–18

      May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.

    • Acts 18:26

      And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him in and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

  • Through

    Acts 11:28

    One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)

    it leads to

    • Acts 21:10

      After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

    • Luke 3:1

      In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

    • 1 Kings 17:1–16

      Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD lives—the God of Israel before whom I stand—there will be neither dew nor rain in…

  • Through

    Acts 18:26

    And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him in and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 12:21

      The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 18 →
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 39; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.

Read on in Acts 18 →