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Acts 18:2
ESV And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,
NIV There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,
NASB And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them,
CSB where he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them,
NLT There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome.
KJV And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

What does Acts 18:2 mean?

Alone in Corinth, Paul had to leave Timothy and Silas in Berea. Jews from Thessalonica, who couldn't find them in their own city, followed him there. The Bereans, who believed the message of salvation through Jesus, sent Paul to Athens for his safety. In Athens, Paul discussed gods and the resurrection of the dead before traveling west across the isthmus to Corinth (Acts 17:10–34).

Fortunately, Paul meets refugees and fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla. The couple will become good friends to Paul and powerful missionaries. In Ephesus, they will host the church and teach Apollos about Jesus (1 Corinthians 16:19; Acts 18:24–28). They will also return to Rome and host the church there (Romans 16:3). It's interesting to note that in the six times the couple is mentioned in the New Testament, Priscilla's name comes first four times. It's not clear why; it may be she was a higher social class than her husband. "Prisca" is more formal while "Priscilla" is a nickname.

Claudius was emperor from AD 41—54, although the date of the expulsion of the Jews is unknown. Cassius Dio wrote that although Claudius initially didn't mind the Jews and wanted them to practice their own religion, later he expelled them because their numbers grew too great and he didn't want them to organize into an opposing force. That approach sounds like that of a particular Egyptian Pharaoh (Exodus 1:8–14). Suetonius claimed Claudius evicted the Jews because of their continued argument about "Chrestus." Unfortunately, no one knows who or what "Chrestus" meant as it was a term often used for good or useful slaves. Gallio was proconsul of Achaia for about two years somewhere between AD 50—54, but it's unclear how his term aligns with the eighteen months Paul is in Corinth (Acts 18:11–12).
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