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Acts 19

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

And all the men were about twelve.

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

What does Acts 19:3 mean?

Explanation

Acts 19:3 is a verse from the New Testament of the Christian Bible, situated in the Acts of the Apostles, a book that describes the early church history and the spread of the Gospel after Jesus' ascension.

In this verse, the Apostle Paul questions certain disciples in Ephesus about their baptism.

His question "Unto what then were ye baptized?" suggests that there is an expectation of a specific type of baptism.

The response "Unto John's baptism" refers to the baptism practiced by John the Baptist, which was a baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

This exchange highlights the transition between the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus, which is characterized by baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The Book of Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke, the physician and companion of Paul.

Acts 19:1-7 describes an incident during Paul's third missionary journey, likely around 52-57 A.D., when he encountered a group of believers in Ephesus.

These individuals had been baptized with John's baptism, a Jewish ritual of purification that symbolized repentance and encouraged moral reform in anticipation of the Messiah's imminent arrival.

However, they had not experienced Christian baptism nor received the Holy Spirit, indicating a gap in their understanding of the full Christian message, which suggests varying stages of belief and practice among early followers of Jesus.

Theological Insights

Theologically, Acts 19:3 reflects the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant. John's baptism was symbolic and preparatory, pointing to someone greater who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

Christian baptism, on the other hand, was instituted by Christ and signifies not only repentance but also identification with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection, along with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

From a Trinitarian perspective, this verse emphasizes the importance of the Holy Spirit in Christian initiation and life.

Practical Applications

Practically, Acts 19:3 challenges believers to consider their own understanding and experience of baptism. It encourages a thorough examination of the foundations of one's faith and the importance of aligning with the full teachings of the Gospel.

Additionally, it serves as a reminder of the responsibility for Christian leaders to provide proper instruction on the significance of the sacraments and ensure that followers have a complete awareness of their faith commitments.

Cross-References

Matthew 3:11: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:"
Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Acts 8:16: "(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)"

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "baptized" used in Acts 19:3 is "ebaptisthēte," derived from "baptizō," which means "to immerse, submerge; to cleanse or purify by washing." The term "John's baptism" implies the ritual practiced by John the Baptist, and the Greek word for "John" is "Iōannou" which is a transliteration of the Hebrew name "Yohanan," meaning "Yahweh is gracious."

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing Acts 19:3 to other cultural and religious traditions, one could look at the various purification rites that were prevalent in ancient religions.

For example, in Judaism, various forms of washings (mikveh) were common for ritual purification.

These practices were often symbolic of spiritual cleansing and a desire to be made right with God, similar in broader sense to John's baptism as a sign of repentance.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives typically do not directly intersect with discussions of religious rites such as baptism, as these are matters of faith and spiritual practice.

The physical act of baptism involves water immersion, which could be examined from a psychological viewpoint, discussing the effects of symbolic actions on human cognition and community behavior, but this falls outside the typical domain of natural sciences.

Commentaries

Most biblical commentaries agree that Acts 19:3 shows Paul's concern for the correct understanding and practice of Christian baptism.

Commentators note that the disciples were sincere in their devotion but incomplete in their knowledge.

John Stott, in his commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, states that this passage highlights the importance of the Holy Spirit's presence in the believer's life, which is bestowed in Christian baptism.

F.F.

Bruce, another New Testament scholar, asserts that Paul's discovery of these disciples in Ephesus illustrates the diversity of the early Christian movement and the ongoing transition from pre-Christian to fully Christian faith.

Acts 19

Acts 19

What does Acts 19:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 19:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?