Acts 19:4

4 "John," he said, "administered a baptism of repentance, bidding the people believe on One who was to come after him; namely, on 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 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

3 "Into what then were you baptized?" he asked. "Into John's baptism," they replied.

4 "John," he said, "administered a baptism of repentance, bidding the people believe on One who was to come after him; namely, on Jesus."

5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus;

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