Word Association -- New Testament Characters #10 Quiz

Answer: Priscilla and Aquila

No specific details are given, but Paul states in Romans 16:3, Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for him. (In the NKJV, it says Priscilla and Aquila "risked their necks for my own life.") It's interesting to note the name Priscilla appears before Aquila, indicating she was much more dynamic than Aquila. And this at a time when women were seen as greatly inferior to men and were not even included in census figures.

Answer: Apphia

There is no smoking gun, but Apphia is believed to be the wife of Philemon. Paul begins the letter to Philemon in the NIV Bible this way: "To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home." Many theologians believe Apphia is his wife and Archippus is their son. Scripture, however, does not provide any details about Apphia or Archippus. (I highly recommend two quizzes posted on FunTrivia about Philemon. One is by CellarDoor and the other is by Glendathecat. Simply use the word 'Philemon' in the search template and you'll quickly find the two quizzes.)

Answer: Lazarus

Lazarus is the correct answer. According to John 11:17, Lazarus had been dead four days when Jesus raised him from the dead. According to Wikipedia, rigor mortis lasts for about 72 hours, or three days. In this case, the rigor mortis was over and now the body was starting to decay in the hot Mediterranean sun.

John 11:39 in the NKJV Bible quotes Martha, the sister of Lazarus, objecting to a command of Jesus to remove a stone from Lazarus' tomb: "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."

In other words, Lazarus was a stinking corpse!

However, in John 11:43 Jesus said in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" (In the NIV Bible, the statement is "Lazarus, come out.") And that's exactly what he did to the astonishment of everyone. It's amazing that when Jesus raised people from the dead, He used few words.

When He raised the widow's son in the Nain from the dead and Jairus' daughter from the dead, He said seven words in each situation, for a total of 14 words, in the NKJV Bible. (In the NIV Bible, He said eight words in each situation, for a total of 16 words.) For details about Jesus raising the widow's son from the dead, see Luke 7:11-17. Details about Jesus raising the little girl from the dead can be found in Mark 5:21-43. (Please feel free to play two other quizzes I have compiled. One is about the widow's son and the other is about Jairus' daughter.)

It must have been an incredible sight when Lazarus was raised from the dead. Only a few moments before, the people were mourning the death of Lazarus. Now there is unbelievable jubilation. According to John 11:45-57, the raising of Lazarus from the dead triggered events that led to the crucifixion of Jesus. The chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Answer: Paul

The correct answer is Paul. There are 13 books in the New Testament that contain his name as the author. The books include Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon.

Some people believe Paul also wrote Hebrews, but there is no conclusive proof of this. Paul, once known as Saul, served as the main apostle to the Gentiles.

Answer: Dorcas

The correct answer is Dorcas, also known in Scripture as Tabitha. The account of Peter raising her from the dead is found in Acts 9:36-43. She is described in verse 36 in the NIV as "always doing good and helping the poor." (In the NKJV, it states she was "full of good works and charitable deeds.")

Immediately before this miracle, Peter healed Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.

Answer: Simon of Cyrene

According to Mark 15:21, Simon from Cyrene was forced to carry the cross for Jesus to the crucifixion site. The same verse states Simon was the father of two sons, Alexander and Rufus. However, no other details are given. According to Wikipedia, Cyrene was a community in northern Africa, near the present-day village of Shahhat in Libya. Cyrene is also mentioned in Acts 2:10 with the second chapter telling of the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Answer: Cornelius and Julius

Cornelius and Julius is the correct answer. The two men were centurions in the Roman army and both are mentioned in Acts. The story of Cornelius is told in Acts 10:1-48. He's the first Gentile mentioned in the Bible to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, Julius is mentioned in Acts 27:1-3 as a centurion who was in charge of a number of prisoners including the apostle Paul. Verse 3 states Julius showed kindness to Paul by allowing him to visit with friends when the ship they were on docked at Sidon.

Answer: Timothy

According to Acts 16:1, Timothy joined up with Paul and Sila at Lystra.

The young church worker was the recipient of the two books in the New Testament. The books are 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. Acts 16:2, in the NIV Bible, states the brothers at Lystra and Iconium "spoke well" of Timothy.

Answer: 1 Thessalonians

The 13th book of the New Testament is 1 Thessalonians, going by the order in which the books appear. It is written by Paul and appears after Colossians and before 2 Thessalonians. The books 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians were addressed to members of the early church in Thessalonica, one of the first cities evangelized by Paul and Silas.

According to notes in the NKJV Study Bible, Thessalonica was the largest city in the province of Macedonia. The city became the base for the spread of the Gospel in Macedonia and Greece.

Answer: Philadelphia

Philadelphia is one of the seven churches mentioned in a vision by John of Patmos. The six other churches are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea. All the churches were in Asia Minor, which is present-day Turkey.

Revelation 3:7-13 in the NKJV states: "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: 'I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie -- indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"