In brief
Aquila is a Jew from Pontus, a tentmaker, whom Paul meets in Corinth. He had come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because the emperor had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul stays with them and works with them. The couple later goes with him to Ephesus, where they teach Apollos. Paul says they risked their necks for his life, and a church meets in their house. We remember their hospitality and quiet service.
What does the name Aquila mean?
Aquila is a Latin name, generally linked to the word for eagle. The Bible gives no explanation of this name. Acts 18:2 simply presents the man as a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus. Paul speaks of him together with his wife, Prisca or Priscilla.
The story of Aquila
A meeting in Corinth
Acts 18:1-3Paul leaves Athens for Corinth. There he finds Aquila, a Jew from Pontus, recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because the emperor had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul has the same trade: he stays with them and works with them, for they are tentmakers.
With Paul in Ephesus
Acts 18:18-21After a long stay in Corinth, Paul sails for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. They reach Ephesus, where Paul leaves them as he continues his journey. Aquila and Priscilla thus stay in Ephesus to serve the Lord, while Paul goes on toward Jerusalem and then Antioch.
Welcoming Apollos
Acts 18:24-26Apollos, a Jew of Alexandria, eloquent and well versed in the Scriptures, comes to Ephesus. He teaches about Jesus accurately, though he knows only the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila hear him speak boldly, take him aside and explain the way of God to him more accurately.
A house open to the church
Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19In his letter to the Romans, Paul greets Prisca and Aquila, his fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their necks for his life, and all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks for them. Paul also greets the church that meets in their house, as in 1 Corinthians 16:19.
Faithful to the end of Paul's life
2 Timothy 4:19In one of his last letters, written in prison, Paul asks Timothy to greet Prisca and Aquila. After years of travel, moves and risks, the couple is still among those the apostle keeps in his heart. Their faithfulness lasted from Corinth to the end of his ministry.
What Aquila teaches us
- An ordinary trade can become a place of meeting, sharing and service for God.
- Hospitality opens the home to the church and supports the servants of God.
- We can teach with humility: the couple corrects Apollos privately and gently.
- Serving God as a couple, with a family life open to others, bears fruit in several cities.
- Quiet service is recognized: Paul and all the churches of the Gentiles thank Aquila and Priscilla.
Key verses
Paul finds Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth and stays with them, because they share the same trade. This verse shows that manual work and mission can go hand in hand.
Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside and explain the way of God to him more accurately. The text invites us to instruct others with patience, without humiliating them.
Paul calls them his fellow workers, who risked their necks for his life. He greets the church that meets in their house, a sign of deep and practical service.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Aquila in the Bible?
Aquila was a Jew from Pontus, a tentmaker, married to Priscilla. They met Paul in Corinth, gave him lodging, worked with him, then served in Ephesus and in Rome. They are mentioned several times in the New Testament.
What does the name Aquila mean?
Aquila is a Latin name, generally linked to the word for eagle. The Bible gives no explanation of it, so we should be cautious about its meaning. What matters is the service this man gave together with Priscilla.
Where can I find the story of Aquila in the Bible?
It is mainly in Acts 18:1-3 and 18:18-26. He is then greeted in Romans 16:3-5, in 1 Corinthians 16:19 and in 2 Timothy 4:19. Most of the time, he is named with his wife Priscilla, also called Prisca.