Romans 16:3-4

Verse 3. Greet Priscilla and Aquila. Salute; implying the apostle's kind remembrance of them, and his wishes for their welfare.

Priscilla. Priscilla was the wife of Aquila. They are mentioned in Acts 18:2,26, 1Cor 16:19. Paul at first found them at Corinth. Aquila was a Jew, born in Pontus, who had resided at Rome, and who had left Rome, and come to Corinth, when Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome. Acts 18:2. It is probable that they were converted under the preaching of Paul. Paul lived with them, and they had the advantage of his private instruction, Acts 18:3; comp. Rom 16:26. At the death of Claudius, or whenever the decree for the expulsion of the Jews was repealed, it is probable that they returned to Rome.

My helpers. My fellow-workers. They had aided him in his work. A particular instance is mentioned in Acts 18:26. They are mentioned as having been with Paul when he wrote the first epistle to the Corinthians, 1Cor 16:19.

In Christ Jesus. In the Christian cause.

(r) "Priscilla and Aquila" Acts 18:2
Verse 4. Who have for my life. In order to save my life.

Laid down their own necks. To lay down the neck is to lay the head on a block to be cut off with the axe; or to bow down the head as when the neck was exposed to be cut off by the sword of the executioner The meaning is, that they had hazarded their lives, had exposed themselves to imminent danger, to save the life of Paul. On what occasion this was done is not known, as it is not elsewhere referred to in the New Testament. As Paul, however, lived with them, (Acts 18:3) and as he was often persecuted by the Jews, it is probable that he refers to some such period when he was persecuted, when Aquila and Priscilla took him into their house at the imminent hazard of their lives.

All the churches of the Gentiles. All the churches that had been founded by the apostles. They felt their obligation to them for having saved the life of him who had been their founder and who was their spiritual father.
Copyright information for Barnes