Aquila

Aquila, along with his wife Priscilla, was a Jewish Christian who worked as a tentmaker and played a significant role in the early church, partnering with Paul in his ministry.

Aquila was a Jewish Christian from Pontus who, along with his wife Priscilla, played a significant role in the early church. He is first mentioned in the book of Acts as a tentmaker who had recently come to Corinth from Italy due to the emperor Claudius' decree expelling all Jews from Rome. Paul, also a tentmaker, stayed and worked with Aquila and Priscilla during his time in Corinth.

When Paul left Corinth, Aquila and Priscilla accompanied him to Ephesus. There, they met Apollos, an eloquent Jewish Christian from Alexandria who knew only the baptism of John. Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately, enabling him to continue his effective ministry.

In Paul's letter to the Romans, he sends greetings to Aquila and Priscilla, commending them as his co-workers in Christ Jesus who risked their lives for him. Paul also mentions that the church met in their house, indicating their significant role in hosting and supporting the local Christian community.

Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned again in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, where he sends greetings from them and the church that meets at their house. Finally, in Paul's second letter to Timothy, he asks Timothy to greet Aquila and Priscilla, demonstrating their ongoing involvement in the ministry and their close relationship with Paul and his associates.

Eagle, a native of Pontus, by occupation a tent-maker, whom Paul met on his first visit to Corinth (Acts 18:2). Along with his wife Priscilla he had fled from Rome in consequence of a decree (A.D. 50) by Claudius commanding all Jews to leave the city. Paul sojourned with him at Corinth, and they wrought together at their common trade, making Cilician hair-cloth for tents. On Paul’s departure from Corinth after eighteen months, Aquila and his wife accompanied him to Ephesus, where they remained, while he proceeded to Syria (Acts 18:18, 26). When they became Christians we are not informed, but in Ephesus they were (1 Cor. 16:19) Paul’s “helpers in Christ Jesus.” We find them afterwards at Rome (Rom. 16:3), interesting themselves still in the cause of Christ. They are referred to some years after this as being at Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:19). This is the last notice we have of them.