Acts 18:1-4

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

 

I’m assuming that Paul followed up with the Athenians who said they wanted to hear more about Jesus and the resurrection, but the text doesn’t tell us about that. We just read that after Paul introduced Athens to the God they didn’t know, Paul went from there to Corinth, where he met Aquila and Priscilla.

 

He stayed with Aquila and Priscilla because they, like him, were tentmakers. We know from other Scriptures that Paul worked hard and taught people to work hard (Acts 20:33-35; 1 Cor. 4:12; 9:6; 2 Cor. 6:5; 2 Thess. 3:10), but this is the only place I am aware of where we learn that Paul made tents. His ministry in these four verses is described as bivocational: he worked on tents during the week, and on Sabbaths he tried to persuade Jews and Greeks to follow Jesus, reasoning with them in the synagogue.

 

Father, may I, like Paul, work hard. Whatever You call me to do, may I do it joyfully. No matter how little time that seems to leave for reasoning with people in my neighborhood, may I find time also to work at persuading others to put their faith in Jesus Christ. In everything I do, may I work to please You and content that You have given me the work I have. No matter how lowly, it is worth doing. Thank You for supplying me with work.