The Meaning of Romans 16:3 Explained

Romans 16:3

KJV: Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

YLT: Salute Priscilla and Aquilas, my fellow-workmen in Christ Jesus --

Darby: Salute Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workmen in Christ Jesus,

ASV: Salute Prisca and Aquila my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Greet  Priscilla  and  Aquila  my  helpers  in  Christ  Jesus: 

What does Romans 16:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Romans 16:1-16 - Personal Interest In Fellow-Christians
Here is a window into Paul's heart. He was apparently disowned by his own kindred, yet, as the Lord had promised, He had mothers, sisters, and brothers a hundred-fold. What a contrast there is between the spirit of this chapter and that of the mere disputant or theologian, the stoic or monk. We see also the courtesy, purity, thoughtfulness, and tenderness of Christian relationships.
Women are here-Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, Junia, Persis, Julia, and others. The Apostle realized the immense help that holy women could furnish in the ministry of the gospel. Men are here-old and young, fathers, brothers, and sons. Lovely titles are given with a lavish, though a discriminating hand-succorer, helpers, beloved, approved in Christ, saints. How especially beautiful the appellation, the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord! The kiss was the common mode of greeting, but there was to be a new sanctity in it, as though Christ were between. This church in Rome was a model for other churches. Would that we could realize the same spiritual unity that presided over the gatherings of these early saints! [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 16

1  Paul wills the brothers to greet many;
17  and advises them to take heed of those which cause dissension and offenses;
21  and after various salutations ends with praise and thanks to God

Greek Commentary for Romans 16:3

Prisca and Aquila [Πρισκαν και Ακυλαν]
This order always (Acts 18:18, Acts 18:26; 2 Timothy 4:19, and here) save in Acts 18:2; 1 Corinthians 16:19, showing that Prisca was the more prominent. Priscilla is a diminutive of Prisca, a name for women in the Acilian gens. She may have been a noble Roman lady, but her husband was a Jew of Pontus and a tent-maker by trade. They were driven from Rome by Claudius, came to Corinth, then to Ephesus, then back to Rome, and again to Ephesus. They were good travelling Christians. My fellow-workers (τους συνεργους μου — tous sunergous mou). Both in tent-making and in Christian service in Corinth and Ephesus. [source]
My fellow-workers [τους συνεργους μου]
Both in tent-making and in Christian service in Corinth and Ephesus. [source]
Prisca and Aquila []
Priscilla is the diminutive of Prisca. See Acts 18:2, Acts 18:18, Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19. It is argued by some that Aquila and Priscilla must have been at Ephesus at this time, since they were there when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 16:19, and again when he wrote 2 Timothy 4:19. “It is strange to find them settled at Rome with a church in their house between these two dates” (Farrar). But, as Bishop Lightfoot remarks (“Commentary on Philippians,” p. 176), “As Rome was their headquarters, and they had been driven thence by an imperial edict (Acts 18:2), it is natural enough that they should have returned thither as soon as it was convenient and safe to do so. The year which elapses between the two notices, allows ample time for them to transfer themselves from Ephesus to Rome, and for the apostle to hear of their return to their old abode.” Notice that the name of Priscilla precedes that of her husband. So Acts 18:2. Probably she was the more prominent of the two in christian activity. [source]
Fellow-workers []
In christian labor, as they had been in tent-making. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 16:3

Acts 18:18 Priscilla and Aquila []
They are named in the same order, Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:19. [source]
Acts 18:2 Lately come from Italy [προσπατως εληλυτοτα απο της Ιταλιας]
Second perfect participle of ερχομαι — erchomai Koiné{[28928]}š adverb, here only in the N.T., from adjective προσπατος — prosphatos With his wife Priscilla (Πρισκα — kai Priskillan gunaika autou). Diminutive of δια το διατεταχεναι Κλαυδιον — Priska (Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19). Prisca is a name in the Acilian family and the Prisci was the name of another noble clan. Aquila may have been a freedman like many Jews in Rome. Her name comes before his in Acts 17:18, Acts 17:26; Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:9. Because Claudius had commanded Perfect active articular infinitive of Δια — diatassō old verb to dispose, arrange, here with accusative of general reference. Dia here is causal sense, “because of the having ordered as to Claudius.” This was about a.d. 49, done, Suetonius says (Claudius C. 25), because “the Jews were in a state of constant tumult at the instigation of one Chrestus” (probably among the Jews about Christ so pronounced). At any rate Jews were unpopular in Rome for Tiberius had deported 4,000 to Sardinia. There were 20,000 Jews in Rome. Probably mainly those implicated in the riots actually left. [source]
Acts 18:2 With his wife Priscilla [Πρισκα]
Diminutive of δια το διατεταχεναι Κλαυδιον — Priska (Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19). Prisca is a name in the Acilian family and the Prisci was the name of another noble clan. Aquila may have been a freedman like many Jews in Rome. Her name comes before his in Acts 17:18, Acts 17:26; Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:9. [source]
Acts 18:3 Because he was of the same trade [δια το ομοτεχνον ειναι]
Same construction with δια — dia as above. ομοτεχνον — Homotechnon is an old word Late word from ποιεω — skēnē and εμενεν — poieō here only in the N.T. They made portable tents of leather or of cloth of goat‘s hair. So Paul lived in this home with this noble man and his wife, all the more congenial if already Christians which they soon became at any rate. They worked as partners in the common trade. Paul worked for his support elsewhere, already in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8) and later at Ephesus with Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:18, Acts 18:26; Acts 20:34; 1 Corinthians 16:19). They moved again to Rome (Romans 16:3) and were evidently a couple of considerable wealth and generosity. It was a blessing to Paul to find himself with these people. So he “abode” (ηργαζοντο — emenen imperfect active) with them and “they wrought” (ērgazonto imperfect middle), happy and busy during week days. [source]
1 Corinthians 16:19 Aquila and Prisca []
See on Romans 16:3. [source]
Colossians 1:16 By him [ἐν αὐτῶ]
Rev., in Him. In is not instrumental but local; not denying the instrumentality, but putting the fact of creation with reference to its sphere and center. In Him, within the sphere of His personality, resides the creative will and the creative energy, and in that sphere the creative act takes place. Thus creation was dependent on Him. In Christ is a very common phrase with Paul to express the Church's relation to Him. Thus “one body in Christ,” Romans 12:5; “fellow-workers in Jesus Christ,” Romans 16:3. Compare Romans 16:7, Romans 16:9, Romans 16:11; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 4:15, etc. [source]
2 Timothy 4:19 Prisca and Aquila [Πρισχαν και Ακυλαν]
Paul‘s friends now back in Ephesus, no longer in Rome (Romans 16:3). See note on 2 Timothy 1:16 for the house of Onesiphorus. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 16:3 mean?

Greet Prisca and Aquila the fellow workers of me in Christ Jesus
Ἀσπάσασθε Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν τοὺς συνεργούς μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

Ἀσπάσασθε  Greet 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Middle, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀπασπάζομαι 
Sense: to draw to one’s self.
Πρίσκαν  Prisca 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Πρίσκα  
Sense: a Christian woman, the wife of Aquila.
Ἀκύλαν  Aquila 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀκύλας  
Sense: a Jew of Pontus, a tent maker convert to Christ, companion and ally of Paul in propagating Christianity.
συνεργούς  fellow  workers 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: συνεργός  
Sense: a companion in work, fellow worker.
μου  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Χριστῷ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.