Which apostle was a tentmaker by trade?

Which apostle was a tentmaker by trade? Paul was the apostle associated with this occupation. Acts 18:3 says Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla because they shared the same trade, traditionally understood as tentmaking or leatherworking.

Paul, also known as Saul of Tarsus, was a Jewish follower of Jesus and a Roman citizen who became one of Christianity’s most influential missionaries. His letters and the Acts of the Apostles describe his preaching across the eastern Mediterranean, including communities in Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome.

The trade mattered because Paul sometimes supported himself while preaching rather than relying entirely on local congregations. In Corinth, he stayed and worked with Aquila and Priscilla before preaching in the synagogue each Sabbath. The Bible does not present tentmaking as his only identity or occupation; it highlights it as practical work alongside his missionary calling.

A common mix-up is confusing Paul with Aquila, who also practiced the trade. Paul was not one of the Twelve who followed Jesus during his lifetime, but he became known as the “apostle to the Gentiles.”