Acts 19:4

4 Then sayde Paul: Iohn verely bapiised with the baptim of repentaunce sayinge vnto the people that they shuld beleve on him which shuld come after him: that is on Christ Iesus.

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 sayd vnto them: have ye receaved the holy gost sence ye beleved? And they sayde vnto him: no we have not hearde whether ther be eny holy goost or no.

3 And he sayd vnto them: wher wt were ye then baptised? And they sayd: with Iohns baptim

4 Then sayde Paul: Iohn verely bapiised with the baptim of repentaunce sayinge vnto the people that they shuld beleve on him which shuld come after him: that is on Christ Iesus.

5 When they hearde that they were baptised in the name of the lorde Iesu.

6 And Paul layde his hondes apon them and the holy gost came on them and they spake with tonges and prophesied