Acts 19:1-11

Common English Bible

Paul in Ephesus

19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul took a route through the interior and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. ² He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you came to believe?”

They replied, “We’ve not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³ Then he said, “What baptism did you receive, then?”

They answered, “John’s baptism.”

⁴ Paul explained, “John baptized with a baptism by which people showed they were changing their hearts and lives. It was a baptism that told people about the one who was coming after him. This is the one in whom they were to believe. This one is Jesus.” ⁵ After they listened to Paul, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in other languages and prophesying. ⁷ Altogether, there were about twelve people.

⁸ Paul went to the synagogue and spoke confidently for the next three months. He interacted with those present and offered convincing arguments concerning the nature of God’s kingdom. ⁹ Some people had closed their minds, though. They refused to believe and publicly slandered the Way. As a result, Paul left them, took the disciples with him, and continued his daily interactions in Tyrannus’ lecture hall. ¹⁰ This went on for two years, so that everyone living in the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the Lord’s word.

¹¹ God was doing unusual miracles through Paul.