Bible Dictionary: Aquila

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Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Aquila

an eagle

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Aquila

(an eagle), a Jew whom St. Paul found at Corinth on his arrival from Athens. (Acts 18:2) (A.D, 52,) He was a native of Pontus, but had fled with his wife Priscilla, from Rome, in consequence of an order of Claudius commanding all Jews to leave the city. He became acquainted with St. Paul, and they abode together, and wrought at their common trade of making the Cilician tent or hair-cloth. On the departure of the apostle from Corinth, a year and eight months after, Priscilla and Aquila accompanied him to Ephesus. There they remained and there they taught Apollos. At what time they became Christians is uncertain.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Aquila

A Jew born in Pontus, a tent-maker by occupation, who with his wife Priscilla joined the Christian church at Rome. When the Jews were banished from that city by the emperor Claudius, Aquilla and his wife retired to Corinth. They afterwards became the companions of Paul in his labors, and are mentioned by him with much commendation, Acts 18:2,3,24-26 Romans 16:3,4 1 1 Corinthians 16:19 2 Timothy 4:19.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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 Corinthians 16:19) Paul's "helpers in Christ Jesus." We find them afterwards at Rome (Romans 16:3), interesting themselves still in the cause of Christ. They are referred to some years after this as being at Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19). This is the last notice we have of them.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A genus of eagles.

2. (n.) A northern constellation southerly from Lyra and Cygnus and preceding the Dolphin; the Eagle.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

AQUILA

ak'-wi-la (Akulas), ("an eagle"): Aquila and his wife Priscilla, the diminutive form of Prisca, are introduced into the narrative of the Acts by their relation to Paul. He meets them first in Corinth (Acts 18:2). Aquila was a native of Pontus, doubtless one of the colony of Jews mentioned in Acts 2:9 1 Peter 1:1. They were refugees from the cruel and unjust edict of Claudius which expelled all Jews from Rome in 52 A.D. The decree, it is said by Suetonius, was issued on account of tumults raised by the Jews, and he especially mentions one Chrestus (Suetonius Claud. 25). Since the word Christus could easily be confounded by him to refer to some individual whose name was Chrestus and who was an agitator, resulting in these disorders, it has been concluded that the fanatical Jews were then persecuting their Christian brethren and disturbances resulted. The cause of the trouble did not concern Claudius, and so without making inquiry, all Jews were expelled. The conjecture that Aquila was a freedman and that his master had been Aquila Pontius, the Roman senator, and that from him he received his name is without foundation.

He doubtless had a Hebrew name, but it is not known. It was a common custom for Jews outside of Palestine to take Roman names, and it is just that this man does, and it is by that name we know him. Driven from Rome, Aquila sought refuge in Corinth, where Paul, on his second missionary journey, meets him because they have the same trade: that of making tents of Cilician cloth (Acts 18:3). The account given of him does not justify the conclusion that he and his wife were already Christians when Paul met them. Had that been the case Luke would almost certainly have said so, especially if it was true that Paul sought them out on that account. Judging from their well-known activity in Christian work they would have gathered a little band of inquirers or possibly converts, even though they had been there for but a short time. It is more in harmony with the account to conclude that Paul met them as fellow-tradespeople, and that he took the opportunity of preaching Christ to them as they toiled.

There can be no doubt that Paul would use these days to lead them into the kingdom and instruct them therein, so that afterward they would be capable of being teachers themselves (Acts 18:26). Not only did they become Christians, but they also became fast and devoted friends of Paul, and he fully reciprocated their affection for him (Romans 16:3, 4). They accompanied him when he left Corinth to go to Ephesus and remained there while he went on his journey into Syria. When he wrote the first letter to the church at Corinth they were still at Ephesus, and their house there was used as a Christian assembly-place (1 Corinthians 16:19). The decree of Claudius excluded the Jews from Rome only temporarily, and so afterward Paul is found there, and his need of friends and their affection for him doubtless led them also to go to that city (Romans 16:3). At the time of the writing of Paul's second letter to Tim they have again removed to Ephesus, possibly sent there by Paul to give aid to, and further the work in that city (2 Timothy 4:19). While nothing more is known of them there can be no doubt that they remained the devoted friends of Paul to the end.

The fact that Priscilla's name is mentioned several times before that of her husband has called forth a number of conjectures. The best explanation seems to be that she was the stronger character. Jacob W. Kapp

Greek

207. Akulas -- Aquila, a Christian
... Aquila, a Christian. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Akulas Phonetic
Spelling: (ak-oo'-las) Short Definition: Aquila Definition: the Greek way ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/207.htm - 6k

4251. Priska -- Prisca, a Christian and the wife of Aquila
... Prisca, a Christian and the wife of Aquila. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Priska Phonetic Spelling: (pris'-kah) Short Definition: Prisca ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4251.htm - 6k

4252. Priskilla -- Priscilla, the same person as Prisca.
... being the more correct and formal name, the latter a diminutive and more familiar;
a Roman lady, probably of good birth, wife of the Jewish Christian Aquila. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4252.htm - 6k

Library

Priscilla and Aquila
... ROMANS PRISCILLA AND AQUILA. ... Now, to begin with, we are told that Aquila was
a Jew. We are not told whether Priscilla was a Jewess or no. ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/priscilla and aquila.htm

Recognition of Nicetas and Aquila.
... Homily XIII. Chapter III."Recognition of Nicetas and Aquila. Now when
this summary narrative had been given by Peter, Nicetas ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter iii recognition of nicetas and.htm

Peter Relates to Nicetas and Aquila the History of Clement and his ...
... Homily XIII. Chapter II."Peter Relates to Nicetas and Aquila the History
of Clement and His Family. On my saying this, Peter gave ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter ii peter relates to nicetas.htm

A vindication of the Prophecy in Isa. vii. 14 against the ...
... vii. 14 against the misinterpretations of Theodotion, Aquila, the Ebionites,
and the Jews. Authority of the Septuagint version. ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxi a vindication of the.htm

The Four Gospels.
... I do not ask what [5388] Aquila and [5389] Symmachus think, or why [5390] Theodotion
takes a middle course between the ancients and the moderns. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/the four gospels.htm

Origen's Earnest Study of the Divine Scriptures.
... [1885] And in addition to the well-known translations of Aquila, [1886] Symmachus ...
V. chap. 8, note 31. [1886] Aquila is first mentioned by Irenæus (Adv. Hær. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xvi origens earnest study of.htm

The Conversion of Apollos, his Character, and the Ministry of Paul ...
... He left behind him, however, in this great city his two Corinthian converts, Aquila
and Priscilla, who carried on with industry and success the work which he ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter viii the conversion of.htm

Dawn in the Hills
... All this engaged the Maccabee's interest, but he made no comment until, on occasion
of his casual word in praise of the fidelity of Aquila, Julian flew into a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter vi dawn in the.htm

Imperial Caesar
... He knew that by some misadventure he had missed Aquila whom he had hoped to meet
in Emmaus, bearing treasure stolen from the daughter of Costobarus. ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter vii imperial caesar.htm

Paul in Corinth.
... When Paul came to Corinth, "he found a certain Jew, named Aquila, born in Pontus,
lately from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, (because that Claudius had ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxi paul in corinth.htm

Thesaurus

Aquila (7 Occurrences)
... 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 ...
/a/aquila.htm - 13k

Eagle (27 Occurrences)
... There have been observed in Palestine four distinct species of eagles, (1) the golden
eagle (Aquila chrysaetos); (2) the spotted eagle (Aquila naevia); (3) the ...
/e/eagle.htm - 28k

Priscilla (7 Occurrences)
... The wife of Aquila (Acts 18:2), who is never mentioned without her. ... She took part
with Aquila (qv) in insturcting Apollos (Acts 18:26). Int. ...
/p/priscilla.htm - 9k

Aq'uila (6 Occurrences)
Aq'uila. Aquila, Aq'uila. Aquilas . ... But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him,
they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately. ...
/a/aq'uila.htm - 7k

Prisca (3 Occurrences)
... PRISCA; PRISCILLA. pris'-ka, pri-sil'-a. See AQUILA. ... Romans 16:3 Greet Prisca and
Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, (WEB WEY ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV). ...
/p/prisca.htm - 7k

Apollos (11 Occurrences)
... was the Messiah. Aquila and Priscilla instructed him more perfectly in
"the way of God", ie, in the knowledge of Christ. He then ...
/a/apollos.htm - 16k

Greet (46 Occurrences)
... Greet no one on the way. (WEB NAS NIV). Romans 16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my
fellow workers in Christ Jesus, (WEB KJV WEY WBS NAS RSV NIV). ...
/g/greet.htm - 19k

Salute (48 Occurrences)
... salute Festus. (KJV ASV DBY WBS). Romans 16:3 Salute Prisca and Aquila my
fellow-workers in Christ Jesus, (ASV DBY YLT). Romans 16 ...
/s/salute.htm - 19k

Pontus (3 Occurrences)
... Jews of the Dispersion. Aquila was a native of Pontus (Acts 18:2). Int.
Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PONTUS. pon'-tus (Pontos): Was ...
/p/pontus.htm - 16k

Targum
... doubtful whether there ever was such a person, a view that is confirmed by the fact
that legends almost identical are related of Aquila, the translator of the ...
/t/targum.htm - 38k

Bible Concordance

Aquila (7 Occurrences)

Acts 18:2 He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Acts 18:18 Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Acts 18:19 He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
(See NIV)

Acts 18:26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Romans 16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

1 Corinthians 16:19 The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Timothy 4:19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Aquila

Aquila and Priscilla: Christians at Corinth

Aquila and Priscilla: Friendship of, for Paul

Aquila and Priscilla: Paul Sends Salutations To

Related Terms

Eagle (27 Occurrences)

Priscilla (7 Occurrences)

Aq'uila (6 Occurrences)

Prisca (3 Occurrences)

Apollos (11 Occurrences)