Acts 18:23-19:10

Christian Standard Bible

²³ After spending some time there, he set out, traveling through one place after another in the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.^(A)

The Eloquent Apollos

²⁴ Now a Jew named Apollos,^(B) a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit,^[a] he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism.^{(C) 26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside^[b] and explained the way of God to him more accurately.^{(D) 27} When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.^{(E) 28} For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.^(F)

Twelve Disciples of John the Baptist

19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples^{(G) 2} and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” ^(H)

“No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”^(I)

³ “Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them.

“Into John’s baptism,” they replied.^(J)

⁴ Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance,^(K) telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”^(L)

⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid his hands on^(M) them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues^[c] and to prophesy.^{(N) 7} Now there were about twelve men in all.

In the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.^{(O) 9} But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples, and conducted discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.^{(P) 10} This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks,^(Q) heard the word of the Lord.^(R)