I Corinthians 16:19 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 16:19 Commentary: The Church in Their House
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Discover what Paul's greeting from Aquila and Priscilla's house church reveals about hospitality, relationships, and the early Christian community.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul sends greetings from the Asian churches and from Aquila, Priscilla, and the congregation meeting in their home, showing the relational and domestic nature of early Christian community.
- Key words: ekklēsia (church/assembly), aspazomai (greet/salute), en kuriō (in the Lord), oikos (house), polla (much/heartily).
- Main debate: Whether “the church in their house” refers to the extended family alone or to the larger congregation that met there; commentators allow both possibilities.
- Theological theme: The home as a legitimate and vital context for worship, discipling, and mission.
- Best use: A launching point for teaching on hospitality, household faith, and the personal bonds that knit the body of Christ together.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house.
KJV King James Version 1769
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Prisca salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Salute you do the assemblies of Asia; salute you much in the Lord do Aquilas and Priscilla, with the assembly in their house;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The assemblies of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla, with the assembly in their house, salute you much in [the] Lord.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house, with whom I also lodge.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Las iglesias de Asia os saludan. Os saludan mucho en el Señor Aquila y Priscila, con la iglesia que está en su casa.
As igrejas da Ásia vos saúdam. Áquila e Priscila vos saúdam-vos afetuosamente no Senhor, e também a igreja que está na casa deles.
Les Églises d’Asie vous saluent. Aquilas et Priscille, avec l’ Église qui est dans leur maison, vous saluent beaucoup dans le Seigneur.
Es grüßen euch die Gemeinden in Asien. Es grüßt euch sehr in dem HERRN Aquila und Priscilla samt der Gemeinde in ihrem Hause.
U groeten de Gemeenten van Azie. U groeten zeer in den Heere Aquila en Priscilla, met de Gemeente, die te hunnen huize is.
Le chiese dell’Asia vi salutano. Aquila e Priscilla, con la chiesa che è in casa loro, vi salutano molto nel Signore.
Pozdrawiają was zbory, które są w Azyi. Pozdrawiają was wielce w Panu Akwilas i Pryscylla, ze zborem, który jest w domu ich.
Приветствуют вас церкви Асийские; приветствуют вас усердно в Господе Акила и Прискилла с домашнею их церковью.
亞細亞 的眾教會 問你們 安。亞居拉 和 百基拉 並 在 他們 家 裡的 教會，因主 多多地 問你們 安。
The churches of Asia send their love to you. So do Aquila and Prisca, with the church which is in their house.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 16:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this short greeting packs a wealth of information about early Christian life. The phrase “the churches of Asia” (the Roman province of Asia, centered on Ephesus) strongly suggests Paul was writing from Ephesus, not from Philippi as the subscription in some manuscripts claims (Barnes, Gill, Calvin). Aquila and Priscilla are a married couple already known to Paul and the Corinthians from Acts 18, where they hosted him in Corinth and later accompanied him to Ephesus. The greeting “warmly in the Lord” (Greek polla en kuriō) signals genuine Christian affection, not a mere formality.
The phrase “the church that is in their house” is the focal point. Calvin calls it a “magnificent eulogium” that a household could be called a church. Clarke, Barnes, and Gill explain that with no dedicated church buildings, Christians met in private homes. The Cambridge Bible notes the expression might refer either to the family unit or to the congregation that gathered there; in either case, the home was the primary setting for worship, instruction and fellowship. This verse thus offers a window into the relational, household-centered fabric of early Christianity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse records a greeting from the churches of the Roman province of Asia and from Aquila, Priscilla, and the congregation meeting in their house, demonstrating the relational and domestic character of early Christian community.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Paul’s location when writing | Commentators agree the greeting from 'the churches of Asia' indicates Paul was in the province of Asia, most likely Ephesus (Barnes, Gill, Calvin, Cambridge Bible). | The subscription in some manuscripts says the letter was written from Philippi, but this is widely regarded as unreliable; nearly all interpreters hold to Ephesus based on the internal evidence of the verse and the presence of Aquila and Priscilla there (Acts 18:19). |
| Meaning of 'church that is in their house' | Christians of all traditions agree this shows that early believers gathered in private homes for worship and instruction, before dedicated church buildings existed. | Some interpreters (e.g., Cambridge Bible) note the phrase could mean either the family unit itself (functioning as a small church) or the larger congregation that regularly met in that home. Calvin strongly emphasizes the former, a household ordered as a little church, while others like Clarke and Gill lean toward the latter. |
Historical & Cultural Context
When Paul wrote “the churches of Asia salute you,” he referred to the Roman province of Asia, which included Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and other cities in western Asia Minor (Barnes). Paul had spent over two years in Ephesus (Acts 19:10), and the gospel had spread so thoroughly that “all those who lived in Asia heard the word.” That explains why, from Ephesus, he could send greetings on behalf of multiple assemblies.
Aquila and Priscilla were Jews originally from Pontus, forced to leave Rome when Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews (Acts 18:2). They settled in Corinth, where they met Paul and shared his trade of tentmaking. When Paul sailed to Ephesus, they accompanied him (Acts 18:18, 19). Their house in Ephesus became a gathering place for believers, one of the earliest “house churches.” In the first century, there were no church buildings; congregations met in homes large enough to host the group. This was practical, but also deeply theological: the household itself became a unit of Christian identity.
The Greek text uses Priska (Prisca), a familiar form of Priscilla, and some manuscripts name her before her husband, which Poole suggests may indicate her prominence in ministry. The greeting is “much in the Lord” (polla en kuriō), emphasizing that Christian salutations were not empty words but expressions of union with Christ and each other. This verse sits in the conclusion of a letter that addresses serious problems in Corinth, divisions, immorality, disorderly worship. The warm greetings show that even when correcting, Paul still held the Corinthians close as fellow believers. The relational web of house churches, traveling Christians and mutual support sustained the early movement.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources (commentary excerpts, lexical data, and cross-references) note no significant textual variants for 1 Corinthians 16:19. The word “Asia” and the names “Aquila and Prisca” are stable across the major manuscripts. Some translations harmonize the name “Priscilla” for “Prisca” (as in KJV, WEB), but the underlying Greek text uniformly reads Priska in this verse.
Reception History
In the early church, this verse was read as part of the ordinary fabric of apostolic greetings and did not attract controversy. The emphasis on a house church became more prominent in the Reformation. John Calvin called it a “magnificent eulogium” that a private family could be honored with the name “church,” and he used it to promote family worship and discipline. Matthew Henry saw in the verse a proof that Christianity fosters good manners and warm affection among believers. Matthew Poole noted that Priscilla is sometimes named before her husband, and argued against using name order to claim primacy (as with Peter and the apostles). In modern times, the verse has been widely cited by the house church movement and by those advocating for small groups and hospitality-based evangelism.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Church is rooted in relationships. Paul sends greetings from whole churches, from a couple, and from a household assembly. Christian community is not abstract; it moves through personal ties, shared work and hospitality.
- Your home can be a launchpad for ministry. Aquila and Priscilla opened their house for the church to meet. In a world where many feel isolated, opening a door for prayer, study or a meal is powerful.
- Greet one another warmly in the Lord. Paul says “much in the Lord”, not a casual nod. Real Christian greeting carries blessing, prayer, and recognition of the bond we share in Christ.
Five-point outline
- Context of the greeting, Paul is writing from Ephesus, sending love from the Asian churches to the Corinthians he once pastored.
- The couple Aquila and Priscilla, a model of a married team serving the gospel together, willing to move and adapt.
- The church in their house, the domestic setting of early Christianity; the household as a micro-church.
- “Much in the Lord”, the quality of Christian affection; not sentimental but rooted in shared faith.
- Connection to the letter’s larger concerns, even after strong correction, Paul ends with inclusion and love, binding the body together.
Illustration hooks
- Home hospitality: Most of us don’t need a church building to welcome people. A living room couch or a kitchen table can become holy ground. Think of the ways your home already supports your small group, a neighbor in crisis, or a visiting missionary.
- A couple serving together: Many churches underestimate the power of married couples who open their home and life to others. Aquila and Priscilla show what that can look like over decades.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can my family make our home a place where people encounter Christ?
- What does it mean to greet someone “in the Lord” in a way that goes beyond a handshake?
- How does knowing that the first churches were house churches change how I think about “church” itself?
Leading a Discussion
This short verse opens a window onto the everyday life of the earliest Christians. The church did not begin in grand buildings but in homes, around tables, through relationships. As you read 1 Corinthians 16:19, notice how personal and warm the connections are, even between churches in different regions. Let the conversation move from what the text says to what it invites in your own community.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Who sends greetings, and to whom? What do you know about Aquila and Priscilla from Acts 18 and Romans 16?
- Observation: The phrase “church that is in their house” appears in several New Testament passages (Romans 16:5, Colossians 4:15, Philemon 2). What pattern do you notice?
- Interpretation: Why do you think Paul describes the greetings as “much in the Lord”? What does that expression tell us about Christian relationships?
- Interpretation: If the whole church used to gather in a household, how might that have shaped the way members related to each other and to visitors?
- Application: How does your home (or your small group’s meeting place) serve as a space for spiritual life? What could change to make it more welcoming?
- Application: Aquila and Priscilla served as a team. What can couples or families in your church learn from their example?
- Prayer: Lord, open our homes and our hearts to one another as you did for the early believers. Help us to greet each other warmly in you.
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Acts 18:2 | 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 18:18 | Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow. |
| Acts 18:26 | 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 19:10 | This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. |
| Romans 16:3 | Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, |
| Romans 16:5 | Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. |
| Romans 16:15 | Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. |
| Colossians 4:15 | Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, with Nymphas and the assembly that is in his house. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that Paul’s greeting from “the churches of Asia” proves he was not at Philippi when writing—had he been there, he would have named Macedonia instead. He also explains that “the church in their house” refers to believers who met there, since no dedicated church buildings yet existed.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that "Asia" here refers specifically to the region around Ephesus, not all of Asia Minor. He explains the salutation as a respectful Christian greeting and "much in the Lord" as a wish for divine blessing and affection among believers.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees Paul's use of "church" for Aquila and Priscilla's household as a deliberate honor, lifting a single family to sacred status. For him this implies every Christian household should be ordered as a little church. He also notes Paul's wording confirms the letter was written from Ephesus, not Philippi.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the personal greeting from Aquila and Priscilla to the church that once housed them is a small but significant detail that helps confirm the trustworthiness of Scripture. The phrase "the church in their house" likely refers to their family or the congregation meeting there for worship.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that Aquila and Priscilla hosted a church in their home, showing how early believers gathered in private houses for worship and fellowship. The greeting "greatly in the Lord" emphasizes their deep Christian affection for those they had never met.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that the greetings from the churches of Asia, rather than Macedonia, show this letter was written from Ephesus, not Philippi. He notes that Aquila and Priscilla, who were with Paul in Ephesus, send warm Christian greetings. The church in their house likely refers to believers who gathered there for worship and instruction.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that the apostle includes personal greetings even in a letter about weighty spiritual matters, showing that Christianity encourages courtesy, not coldness. He stresses that a sincere Christian greeting is a real blessing, not an empty formality, and that a godly household itself becomes a little church.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the names Asia and Aquila and Prisca in this verse each have fuller explanations in earlier passages. He directs the reader to Acts 2:9 for the geographical reference and to Romans 16:3 for the personal names, offering cross-references rather than new commentary.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Paul first met Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth, where they had already settled. This earlier acquaintance formed the basis for their later close partnership in ministry together.