Acts 19:4

4 And Paul said, "John baptized [with] a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who was to come after him--that is, in Jesus."

Acts 19:4 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 19:4

Then said Paul
In reply to their answer, understanding them that they were baptized by John, he takes it up, and gives an account of John's baptism: showing how agreeable it was, and that it was the same baptism with the baptism of Christ, being administered in his name:

John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance;
which required repentance antecedent to it, and was a fruit and effect, and so an evidence of it:

saying unto the people;
the people of the Jews, the common people, the multitude that attended on his ministry:

that they should believe on him, which should come after him,
that is, on Jesus Christ; so that he preached faith in Christ, as well as repentance towards God; and made the one as well as the other a necessary prerequisite unto baptism; which shows, that his baptism and Christian baptism are the same.

Acts 19:4 In-Context

2 And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit [when you] believed?" And they [said] to him, "But we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit!"

3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into the baptism of John."

4 And Paul said, "John baptized [with] a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who was to come after him--that is, in Jesus."

5 And [when they] heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And [when] Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.