Priscilla

Etymology

Diminutive of 'Prisca' (ancient, venerable), from the Latin 'priscus'. The name suggests something old and respected — a venerable tradition carried forward.

Who they were

Priscilla (also called Prisca) is one of the most prominent women in the New Testament. She and her husband Aquila were Jewish tentmakers expelled from Rome under Claudius' edict. They met Paul in Corinth, worked alongside him, and hosted a church in their home. When the eloquent Apollos arrived preaching an incomplete gospel, it was Priscilla and Aquila who 'explained to him the way of God more adequately.' The fact that Priscilla is named first in four of the six New Testament references to the couple is striking — ancient convention typically placed the husband first, and this reversal suggests she was the more prominent figure. Paul calls them 'co-workers in Christ Jesus' who 'risked their lives for me.' They hosted house churches in both Corinth and Rome, and their story traces the geography of the early church's expansion. Priscilla is the teacher who shaped the teacher — she corrected Apollos, who went on to become one of the most powerful preachers in the early church. Her influence ripples through everything Apollos subsequently said and wrote.

Family

Spouse

Aquila

Character qualities

• Theological precision
• Willingness to correct with grace
• Hospitality across cities
• Partnership in ministry and livelihood

Key verse

Acts 18:26

Where they appear

Themes

Variants & related forms

Prisca · Priss · Cilla

Related names