New International Version
Acts 19:4
4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
Acts 19:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
Context of Acts 19:4
2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Read all of Acts 19Acts 19:4 word by word
Εἶπεν δὲ Παῦλος· Ἰωάννης ἐβάπτισεν βάπτισμα μετανοίας τῷ λαῷ λέγων εἰς τὸν ἐρχόμενον μετ᾽ αὐτὸν ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenδέde · thenG1161
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
- verilyμένmen · on the other handG3303
- baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- with the baptismβάπτισμαbaptisma · baptismG908
- of repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
- the peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- they should believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- onεἰςeis · towardG1519
- should comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
Cross-references for Acts 19:4
- Acts 1:5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 11:16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 13:23“From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.
- Matthew 3:11“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- Matthew 11:3to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
- Matthew 21:25John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
- Mark 1:1The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,
- Luke 1:76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
- Luke 3:16John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- John 1:15(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)
- John 3:28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’
- John 5:33“You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.
Commentaries on Acts 19:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4That they should believe on him which should come after - John baptized them with the baptism of repentance; this was common to all the baptisms administered by the Jews to proselytes; but telling them that they should believe on him who was coming, was peculiar to John's baptism.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4John verily baptized - John did indeed baptize. With the baptism of repentance - Having special reference to repentance, or as a profession that they did repent of their sins. See the notes on Matthew 3:6. Saying unto the people - The design of his preaching was to tarn the people from their sins, and to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. He therefore directed their attention principally to him that was to come, John 1:15, John 1:22-27. That is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7Paul traveled to Ephesus after Apollos had left. Later, Apollos returned to Ephesus while Paul was still there (1 Corinthians 16:12). The two men had different personalities, gifts, and roles, but God worked through both of them. Some Christians in Ephesus did not fully understand the Christian faith (Acts 18:26). They did not receive the Holy Spirit when they believed the good news about Jesus. They had accepted John's baptism, which called for…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Then said Paul, John ... baptized with the baptism of repentance--water unto repentance. saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him--that is, who should baptize with the Holy Ghost. The point of contrast is not between John and Christ personally, but between the water baptism of John unto repentance, and the promised baptism of the Spirit from the hands of his coming Master unto new life. As to all the facts, or…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 19:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries