4193. Pontikos
Lexical Summary
Pontikos: Pontic, of or belonging to Pontus

Original Word: Ποντικός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Pontikos
Pronunciation: pon-tee-KOS
Phonetic Spelling: (pon-tik-os')
KJV: born in Pontus
NASB: Pontus
Word Origin: [from G4195 (Πόντος - Pontus)]

1. a Pontican, i.e. native of Pontus

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
born in Pontus.

From Pontos; a Pontican, i.e. Native of Pontus -- born in Pontus.

see GREEK Pontos

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from Pontos
Definition
of Pontus
NASB Translation
Pontus (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4193: Ποντικός

Ποντικός, Ποντικη, Ποντικόν (Πόντος, which see), belonging to Pontus, born in Pontus: Acts 18:2. ((Herodotus, others.))

Topical Lexicon
Geographic and Historical Background

Pontus was a coastal region along the southeastern shore of the Black Sea, bordered by Bithynia to the west, Galatia and Cappadocia to the south, and Colchis to the east. In the Hellenistic period it was ruled by local dynasties such as the famous Mithridates VI, and in the first century B.C. it became part of the Roman Empire. By the New Testament era its population was a mixture of Greeks, indigenous Anatolians, and a sizeable Jewish diaspora community. Roman road systems and maritime routes connected Pontus with the wider Mediterranean world, making it a strategic bridge for trade and ideas—and later, for the spread of the gospel.

Biblical Occurrence and Context

The adjective Ποντικὸν (Pontikon), “Pontian” or “of Pontus,” appears only once in the Greek New Testament:

Acts 18:2: “There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them.”

Luke’s single use of the term highlights both the geographical diversity of the early church and the providential movements that positioned key workers—like Aquila and Priscilla—along the missionary paths of the Apostle Paul.

Pontus in the Broader New Testament Narrative

Although the adjective appears only once, Pontus itself is mentioned several times, underscoring the region’s importance:
Acts 2:9 records “residents of Pontus” among the devout Jews present at Pentecost who heard the gospel in their own language.
1 Peter 1:1 addresses “the elect…scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,” indicating established Christian communities there by the early 60s A.D.

Together these references trace a trajectory: Jews from Pontus hear the gospel in Jerusalem, carry it home, and within a generation form congregations significant enough to receive apostolic correspondence.

Aquila the Pontian: Lessons in Ministry Partnership

Aquila, identified by Luke as “a native of Pontus,” embodies the fruit of this diaspora evangelism. Exiled from Rome during Emperor Claudius’s expulsion of Jews (circa A.D. 49), Aquila and his wife Priscilla settled in Corinth, where they became co-laborers with Paul:
• They opened their home and business (tentmaking) to Paul (Acts 18:3).
• They traveled with Paul to Ephesus, planting and strengthening churches (Acts 18:18-19).
• They instructed Apollos “more accurately” in the way of God (Acts 18:24-26).

Their Pontian heritage did not hinder them; rather, it equipped them for cross-cultural ministry, showing how God weaves personal history into kingdom purpose.

Dispersion and the Advance of the Gospel

The scattering of Jews into regions like Pontus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies of dispersion (for example, Deuteronomy 28:64) and set the stage for the rapid spread of the gospel. Diaspora synagogues provided ready-made venues for apostolic preaching, and bilingual, travel-savvy Jews carried the message along established trade routes. Pentecost in Jerusalem served as a catalytic event; returning pilgrims seeded fledgling communities throughout Asia Minor, including Pontus. Peter’s letter later nurtured these believers, demonstrating apostolic care for geographically remote flocks.

Theological Implications

1. Sovereignty in Scattering: Political edicts (such as Claudius’s expulsion) and ancient dispersions advanced God’s redemptive plan, relocating witnesses like Aquila to strategic mission fields.
2. Unity in Diversity: The inclusion of Pontians alongside Parthians, Medes, and Cyrenians at Pentecost (Acts 2:9-10) anticipates the global church envisioned in Revelation 5:9.
3. Partnership in Ministry: Aquila and Priscilla’s account affirms the biblical pattern of married couples serving side by side (see also Romans 16:3-5), modeling mutual submission and hospitality within the body of Christ.

Ecclesial Legacy

By the mid-second century the church in Pontus produced notable figures such as Marcion of Sinope, whose errors prompted the church to clarify the canon and doctrine. Earlier, however, the healthiest expression of Pontian Christianity is seen in Aquila and Priscilla’s faithful service and in the congregations addressed by Peter. Their legacy reminds modern believers that every locale—however remote—lies within the scope of Christ’s commission, and that God often uses unforeseen migrations to plant gospel seeds in new soil.

Forms and Transliterations
Ποντικον Ποντικὸν Pontikon Pontikòn
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 18:2 Adj-AMS
GRK: ὀνόματι Ἀκύλαν Ποντικὸν τῷ γένει
NAS: a native of Pontus, having recently
KJV: Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come
INT: by name Aquila of Pontus by race

Strong's Greek 4193
1 Occurrence


Ποντικὸν — 1 Occ.

4192
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