Who were Priscilla and Aquila?

TL;DR:

Priscilla and Aquila were a husband and wife team who were crucial in building up and edifying the church. Priscilla and Aquila are an example of spreading the gospel and living out their faith.

Priscilla and Aquila were instrumental in establishing early Christian communities in the Mediterranean region. They offered hospitality to Paul, supported him in his missionary work, and played a crucial role in instructing others in the faith. Notably, Priscilla's name often precedes Aquila's in Scripture, perhaps indicating her significant contributions. This challenges the notion that only men were influential in the early church, emphasizing the importance of both men and women as "fellow workers" in God's kingdom. Their example encourages believers to actively participate in spreading the gospel and building up the church community.

from the old testament

Priscilla and Aquila are only recorded in the New Testament.

from the new testament

Priscilla and Aquila are identified by the apostle Paul as "fellow workers in Christ Jesus" (Romans 16:3). This couple was instrumental in the foundation of the first century church in the Mediterranean areas of modern-day Greece and Turkey.
Priscilla and Aquila appear in Acts 18. They are described as Jews living in Corinth after fleeing persecution of the Jews in their previous hometown of Rome, Italy (Acts 18:2). Despite being outsiders, Priscilla and Aquila established themselves there as tentmakers (Acts 18:3).
Priscilla and Aquila opened their home and business to Paul when he arrived in Corinth. Paul stayed with Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth for one and a half years (Acts 18:11). When Paul left Corinth to establish a church in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila accompanied him to help in this work (Acts 18:18).
The couple settled in Ephesus and hosted the church inside their home (1 Corinthians 16:19), remaining there throughout the rest of Paul's ministry (2 Timothy 4:19).
Because of the couple's extended time with Paul and his continuous teaching and preaching, they had a profound understanding of the gospel and specific tenets of the faith. Thus, when Apollos started preaching an incomplete message in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila "took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately" (Acts 18:26). The instruction that Priscilla and Aquila provided had far reaching effects because Apollos then traveled to Achaia where he "powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus" (Acts 18:28).

implications for today

Priscilla, the wife's name, also referred to as Prisca, is listed before Aquila, the husband's name, almost every time in Scripture, which was not a common practice during that day (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19). By placing Priscilla's name first, Luke, the author of Acts, and Paul in his letter to the Roman church and in his second letter to Timothy, may have been emphasizing the importance of the role Priscilla played in these situations. It was not only men who helped found the first century church and ensure accurate teaching. Women also helped in this endeavor and are recognized as "fellow workers" (Romans 16:3). Priscilla and Aquila both were used by God to advance the gospel as they worked alongside the apostle Paul. We, too, whether men or women, are important in God’s kingdom in reflecting Him to a world that needs Him and working together to edify and build up the church.

understand

Priscilla and Aquila were esteemed collaborators with Paul in spreading Christianity.
Priscilla and Aquila provided hospitality to Paul, accompanied him to Ephesus where they helped him on his mission there, and then hosted a church there.
Priscilla and Aquila were knowledgeable teachers, instructing Apollos and influencing the spread of the gospel.

reflect

How does the teamwork of Priscilla and Aquila challenge or encourage you in the way couples can serve God together?
How can you emulate Priscilla and Aquila's hospitality and support for missionaries and fellow believers in your own life and communities?
Reflect on Priscilla and Aquila's role as teachers. How can you help others grow in their understanding of God’s Word and of faith?

engage

Some people claim that Priscilla was a woman pastor. However, Priscilla did not have a pastoral role. She hosted, taught others, corrected doctrine, and was a leader, but we do not see that she exercised spiritual authority over men as a pastor, which the Bible speaks against (1 Timothy 2:11–12). Just as much as men, women are called to minister to others, to be hospitable, to teach others, and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).
How can we encourage and recognize the contributions of both men and women as "fellow workers" in God's kingdom, as exemplified by Priscilla and Aquila?
Consider the impact of Priscilla and Aquila's teachings on Apollos and the broader spread of the gospel. How can we equip ourselves to provide accurate and effective spiritual guidance to those within and outside our faith communities?