Aquila and Priscilla

Aquila and Priscilla, Tentmakers

ACTS 18 COMMENTARY ◄
Acts 18:12-17 Gallio

Acts 18:18-23 Aquila and Priscilla

Acts 18:24-28 Apollos

ACTS 18:18 18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.

Who are "Priscilla and Aquila" (Acts 18:18)?
Aquila and Priscilla were husband and "wife" (Acts 18:2) Christians who came from Rome to Corinth, where they met Paul. Aquila was a "Jew ... born in Pontus" (Acts 18:2), which is in Turkey today. While Priscilla could have been a gentile whom Aquila met and married in Rome or elsewhere, it is more likely that Priscilla was also a Jew and from Pontus, like Aquila. Like Paul, Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers by trade and labored with him to provide for themselves while evangelizing in Corinth. When Paul went to Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla accompanied him and then remained in Ephesus while Paul continued onward (see below).

Where is "Cenchrea" (Acts 18:18)?
Cenchrea was the eastern port of Corinth. Cenchrea thrived commercially during the Roman Empire but declined thereafter. Today, it is a small village of a few hundred people and called Kechries.

ACTS 18:19-21 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

Why didn't Paul stay in Ephesus (Acts 18:20)?
See Apollos.

ACTS 18:22-23 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

Where did Paul go from Ephesus?
He "sailed" (Acts 18:21) to "Caesarea" (Acts 18:22), the main port in Israel. From Caesarea, he went south by land to Jerusalem "and greeted the church" (Acts 18:22), and then went back north ("down" (Acts 18:22) in terms of elevation) to "Antioch" (Acts 18:22) of "Syria" (Acts 18:18), where his missionary journey had begun. After spending "some time there" (Acts 18:23), Paul started out again through "Galatia and Phrygia" (Acts 18:23).