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.
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus - the most easterly province of Asia Minor, stretching along the southern shore of the Black Sea. From this province there were Jews at Jerusalem on the great Pentecostal day (Acts 2:9), and the Christians of it are included among 'the strangers of the dispersion,' to whom Peter addressed his First Epistle (1 Peter 1:1).
Lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla - or 'Prisca,' as the word is abbreviated in 2 Timothy 4:19. and (according to the true reading) in Romans 16:3. From these Latin names one would conclude that they had resided so long in Rome as to sink their Jewish family names.
Because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. This decree is thus alluded to by Suetonius, in his Life of Claudius Caesar (100: 25): 'The Jews, as they were continually raising disturbances, at the instigation of Christ, he expelled from Rome' [Judaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantes Romae expulit]. (Chrestus for Christus, says Humphry, was a common mistake, according to Tertullian, Revelation 3.) But the inference which come have drawn from this loose statement of Suetonius-in which he appears to mix up events belonging to different times and occasions-namely, that these dissensions arose from disputes about Christianity between some zealous Jewish Christians already settled at Rome and their unbelieving opponents, is very precarious. Though there is reason to believe that Christian Jews were already settled in Rome, it is hardly conceivable that their numbers and influence were such as to produce commotions, provoking the emperor to banish the Whole race from the city.
And came unto them.