Acts 19:6

6 And 1when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and 2they began speaking in tongues and 3prophesying.

Acts 19:6 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 19:6

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them
They having been before baptized, not by him, but by John, or one of his disciples, in the name of the Lord Jesus; just as Peter and John laid their hands upon the believing Samaritans, who had been before baptized by Philip, ( Acts 8:14-17 ) and the same extraordinary effects followed:

the Holy Ghost came on them;
in his extraordinary gifts, whose special grace they had before an experience of:

and they spake with tongues;
with other tongues, or in other languages, which they had never learned, or had been used to, as the disciples did at the day of "Pentecost": and prophesied; preached, having an extraordinary gift at once, of explaining the prophecies of the Old Testament, and also foretold things to come.

Acts 19:6 In-Context

4 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."
5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
7 There were about twelve men in all.
8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

Cross References 3

  • 1. See Acts 8:17
  • 2. Acts 10:46; See Mark 16:17
  • 3. See Acts 13:1
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.