The Early Years of Marriage, Lesson 7. Read Acts 18:1-4, 18-26. You are both believers yet have never prayed together; each is busy at church, and there is no shared spiritual life at home.
Main passage: Acts 18:1-4, 18-26
Priscilla and Aquila were a couple driven out of Rome who made their living as tentmakers in Corinth. They took Paul in, travelled with him, and in Ephesus together "explained to him the way of God more accurately" to Apollos; later a church met in their house. They have no spectacular deeds to their name; together they simply followed the Lord in their ordinary work and home. Scripture doesn't record how they prayed at home; a newly married home today, when both are willing, can begin with short prayers together and an open door to others.
Both of you are Christians. Before the wedding you often went to church and fellowship together. After the wedding, things slowly change: on Sundays each is busy in a different ministry, one in the choir, one in children's Sunday school; at home, one is too tired to do anything but lie down, the other is still answering messages in the group chat. You call yourselves a "Christian home," yet you have never prayed together at home, and reading the Bible together never lasts more than a week. Some say: praying together is too awkward; I don't know what to say.
In Acts 18, Paul comes to Corinth and meets a couple:
He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them, (Acts 18:2)
They had been driven out of Rome by an order and had recently moved to an unfamiliar city. Many young couples today know this kind of situation: moving elsewhere for work, renting a place, looking for jobs, knowing no one. The text goes on: "because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers" (Acts 18:3). In a small home that had only just settled, they opened their door to Paul and worked together.
Later, when Paul left Corinth, he sailed "together with Priscilla and Aquila" (Acts 18:18) and came to Ephesus. There was a learned man there, Apollos, "mighty in the Scriptures," fervent in spirit, though he "knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:24-25). What did this couple do?
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:26)
The text records only that they "took him aside" and together explained the way of God to him more accurately; it doesn't tell us what they were thinking. From this we may reflect that correcting someone need not happen in public; that is a pastoral application. A tentmaking couple helped a preacher who would later have great influence in the church.
At the end of Romans, Paul greets them: "my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life, laid down their own necks" (Romans 16:3-4), and greets "the assembly that is in their house" (Romans 16:5). Whenever Scripture mentions them, they almost always appear together; in several places the New Testament puts Priscilla's name first, and interpreters differ on why, so we needn't draw a conclusion about it. What we can see is that their spiritual life was not two parallel lines, but something shared.
What the text records is that they moved together, worked together, welcomed people together, taught together and served together. Newly married couples can reflect on a few things from this. First, following the Lord together in everyday life: their service was bound up with their work and home, not a "spiritual world" somewhere outside the home. Second, praying together: Scripture doesn't record how they prayed at home, but couples today, when both are willing, can start with short prayers, one sentence each, giving thanks for one thing today and asking help for one thing tomorrow; at first it may feel awkward, and over time it may feel less unfamiliar. Third, opening your door together: inviting friends for a meal, keeping company with a young person new to the city, holding a small Bible study at home. Fourth, looking out for each other in church service: don't both get so busy that home becomes an empty flat; decide major commitments together.
Paul calls them his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus" (Romans 16:3). Couples today don't need to rely on their own spiritual enthusiasm either; two people loved by Christ can respond to his love together.
One more thing needs to be said: praying together and serving together require both to be willing. Where one doesn't yet believe or whose faith has cooled, don't force them to pray or serve together; you can pray for the home yourself and live out Christ at home. Using "spirituality" to control the other person, forcing them to take part, or hitting and threatening at home, is not the partnership this lesson speaks of; put safety first and find help.
1. A couple driven out of Rome. 18:2 says that because Claudius had ordered the Jews to leave Rome, they had recently come from Italy. They began their life in Corinth amid displacement and uncertainty.
2. Living and working together. In 18:3 they were tentmakers, and Paul lived and worked with them. Their service was bound up with their ordinary work.
3. "They took him aside." 18:26 records only that they took Apollos aside and explained more accurately, without telling us what they were thinking; that correction need not be public is an application drawn from it.
4. The order of their names. Several places in the New Testament put Priscilla first (such as 18:18 and Romans 16:3); interpreters differ on why, and this lesson draws no conclusion.
5. The church in their house. In Romans 16:3-5 Paul calls them his fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their lives for him, and a church met in their house.
Opening words (leader reads)
What we share in the group stays in the group. There is an exception: if there is ongoing harm, a risk to a child or vulnerable person, or immediate danger of self-harm or harm to others, the leader cannot promise complete confidentiality. Normally, the leader will first try to discuss this with the person and share only necessary information with those who can actually help. If a child or someone unable to protect themselves is involved, or there is immediate danger, do not wait for consent. Contact a pastor, qualified professionals, local police, emergency services or medical services as appropriate. In immediate danger, get help straight away and do not leave the person alone.
Warm-up: When you first arrived in an unfamiliar city, who was the first person to help you? (First-time visitors can share too)
Leader note: Keep it light: a landlady, a colleague, a couple at church. Then add one sentence: a small home that opens its door often changes a season of someone else's life.
Lesson recap (leader reads, about 1 minute, for those who didn't prepare)
This lesson covers Acts 18:1-4 and 18-26. Paul came to Corinth and met Aquila and his wife Priscilla, who had recently come from Italy because Claudius had ordered the Jews to leave Rome; they were tentmakers. Since Paul had the same trade, he stayed and worked with them. Later Paul sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila went with him and stayed in Ephesus. A man named Apollos, mighty in the Scriptures and fervent in spirit, knew only the baptism of John; when he spoke boldly in the synagogue, Priscilla and Aquila heard him, took him aside, and explained the way of God to him more accurately. We'll compare this with Romans 16: greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life; greet also the church in their house. Today we're talking together about couples praying and serving together.
1. Read verses 1-4. Why did Aquila and Priscilla come to Corinth? What was their trade? How did Paul relate to them?
Leader note: Because Claudius had ordered the Jews to leave Rome; they were tentmakers; Paul had the same trade, so he lived and worked with them.
2. Read verses 18-26. Where did this couple go later? What did they do after hearing Apollos preach?
Leader note: They went with Paul and stayed in Ephesus; hearing that Apollos knew only the baptism of John, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.
3. Read Romans 16:3-5. What does Paul call them? What else does he mention?
Leader note: His fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who laid down their necks for his life; all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks for them; a church meets in their house.
4. Priscilla and Aquila were an ordinary couple, displaced and earning their living by a trade, yet Scripture records them welcoming Paul together, helping Apollos together, and hosting a church in their home. How were their spiritual life and ordinary days bound together? What does this suggest for a newly married home?
Leader note: This is the lesson's center question; leave plenty of time. Their service was bound up with work and home: living and working in the workshop, welcoming people at home, a church in their house. Spiritual life is not another world outside the home. A newly married home, when both are willing, can start small: praying together, reading a passage together, inviting someone for a meal. You can also point out that the text records what they did; it doesn't set a template for every couple.
5. Scripture records that they "took him aside" and explained more accurately. What does this couple's way of helping someone together remind us of?
Leader note: The text doesn't tell us what they were thinking; we can reflect from it that correcting someone need not be done in public, and that two people together is not one person lecturing; this is application. They first understood the way of God themselves, and so could explain it. Couples can learn God's word together and help others together.
6. (Flexible question; discuss if time allows) Many newly married couples find praying together awkward. Where both are willing and the relationship is safe, how can they begin? In church service, how can husband and wife look out for each other, so that home doesn't become an empty flat?
Leader note: Only where both are willing, the relationship is safe, and it won't bring retaliation; if the other is unwilling or doesn't yet believe, don't push; simply pray for the home yourself. Start very short, one sentence each, giving thanks for one thing today and asking help for one thing tomorrow; keep a set time, such as before bed. In service, decide major commitments together, keep time for the two of you, and don't compete over who is busier.
7. In our home (or for me personally), where is spiritual life most often "two parallel lines"? (Talk about yourself; if you'd rather not talk, you can just listen; first-time visitors can share too)
Leader note: The leader shares first. Just listen; don't comment on whether anyone's home is spiritual.
8. Where both are willing, the relationship is safe, and it won't bring retaliation, how are you willing to take a first small step "together" this week? If the other person isn't willing, what small step can you take yourself?
Leader note: Lead toward specifics, only where both are willing and the relationship is safe; if the other person is unwilling, don't push them; praying for the home yourself or reading a passage on your own is enough: one sentence each in prayer before bed; reading a passage together; inviting a friend over for a meal; agreeing on one area of service to do together. Build your action list from this.
Ask one member to read Acts 18:24-26 slowly, then Romans 16:3-5, and everyone is silent for a minute. Those willing can pray a sentence or two: thanking God for the home he has given, asking God to help husband and wife follow him with one heart, or praying for family members who don't yet believe. Those who don't want to speak can pray silently—that's prayer too; first-time visitors can listen quietly and don't need to pray or commit to anything. The leader then gathers up and prays for each person's home. Prayer requests stay within the group. Do not put sensitive matters in the app or share them in a group chat. For routine follow-up, first obtain the person’s consent, then privately note only the necessary sentence or two. If a child or someone unable to protect themselves is at risk, or there is immediate danger of self-harm or harm to others, do not wait for consent: contact local emergency services, police or appropriate protective services immediately.
You might begin this way (prayer direction):
Lord, thank you for showing us Priscilla and Aquila, an ordinary couple who followed you together in their work and home. Help us also to respond to your love together in ordinary days: praying together, reading your word together, opening our door to others. Those of us who trust you, make us of one heart; open the hearts of family members who don't yet believe. And protect those who are being forced or controlled. In Jesus's name, amen.
After prayer, each person chooses one from below to do this week. Just one; if you can't decide right now, that's okay.
No need to record it or report it; you're welcome to share next time if you'd like. If you didn't manage something, bring the obstacle to prayer.
If you came as a couple, each think about these first at home, then tell each other. If you came alone, you can think only about question 1 and take it to prayer.
When you exchange answers, one speaks and the other only listens, without judging whether the other is spiritual. Decide question 2 together, and once it's decided, write it on paper. If there is hitting or threatening at home, if money or identity documents are being controlled, if one of you is not allowed to see others, or if either of you fears retaliation for speaking, skip this homework, do not use it to arrange a negotiation or confrontation, and seek help on your own as in the action list.
You could choose “Craft and Care Are Gifts Too” in the Discover Your Gifts, Find Your Place series (Exodus 31:1–11), or “Everyone Brings a Gift to Serve” in the Love One Another: Life Together in the Body of Christ series (1 Peter 4:7–11).