Acts 19 · Verse 4

Acts 19:4

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 19:4, King James Version

Acts 19:4 in other translations

BSBPaul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
WEBPaul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”
ASVAnd Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus.
YLTAnd Paul said, ‘John, indeed, did baptize with a baptism of reformation, saying to the people that in him who is coming after him they should believe--that is, in the Christ--Jesus;'
DARBYAnd Paul said, John indeed baptised with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him that was coming after him, that is, on Jesus.
BBEAnd Paul said, John gave a baptism which goes with a change of heart, saying to the people that they were to have faith in him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.
WebsterThen said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people, That they should believe on him who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

What does Acts 19:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. Then said Paul, John ... baptized with the baptism of repentance--water unto repentance. saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him--that is, who should baptize with the Holy Ghost. The point of contrast is not between John and Christ personally, but between the water baptism of John unto repentance, and the promised baptism of the Spirit from the hands of his coming Master unto new life. As to all the facts, or at least the significancy, of this baptism, which made the whole life and work of Christ another thing from what it was conceived to be before it was vouchsafed, these simple disciples were unenlightened.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. John verily baptized. John did indeed baptize.

With the baptism of repentance. Having special relation to repentance, or as a profession that they did repent of their sins. Mt 3:6.

Saying unto the people. The design of his coming was to turn the people from their sins, and to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. He therefore directed their attention principally to him that was to come, Jn 1:15, 22-27. .

That is, on Christ Jesus. These are the words of Paul, explaining what John taught. He taught them to believe in the Messiah, and that the Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth. The argument of Paul is, that it was highly proper for them now to profess publicly that Saviour to whom John had borne such explicit testimony. "Jesus is the Messiah for whom John came to prepare the way; and as you have embraced John's doctrine, you ought now publicly to acknowledge that Redeemer by baptism in his name."

(g) "John" Mt 3:11 (&) "verily" "indeed" (h) "repentance" Jn 1:15,27,30

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 That they should believe on him which should come after - John baptized them with the baptism of repentance; this was common to all the baptisms administered by the Jews to proselytes; but telling them that they should believe on him who was coming, was peculiar to John's baptism.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 19:1-7

Paul, at Ephesus, found some religious persons, who looked to Jesus as the Messiah. They had not been led to expect the miraculous powers of the Holy Ghost, nor were they informed that the gospel was especially the ministration of the Spirit. But they spake as ready to welcome the notice of it. Paul shows them that John never design that those he baptized should rest there, but told them that they should believe on…

Read the full comment on Acts 19:1-7 →

Acts 19:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΕἶπενEipenSaidG2036
δὲdethenG1161
Παῦλος·PaulosPaul;G3972
ἸωάννηςIōannēsJohnG2491
ἐβάπτισενebaptisenbaptizedG907
βάπτισμαbaptismaa baptismG908
μετανοίαςmetanoiasof repentanceG3341
τῷtōto theG3588
λαῷlaōpeopleG2992
λέγωνlegōntellingG3004
εἰςeisaboutG1519
τὸνtonthe [One]G3588
ἐρχόμενονerchomenoncomingG2064
μετ᾽met᾽afterG3326
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
ἵναinathatG2443
πιστεύσωσιν,pisteusōsinthey may believe,G4100
τοῦτ᾽tout᾽ThatG3778
ἔστινestinisG1510
εἰςeisinG1519
τὸνton<the>G3588
ΧριστὸνChristonChristG5547
Ἰησοῦν.IēsounJesus.G2424

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 19:4

  • Acts 1:5

    For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

  • John 1:29-34

    The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. …

  • Acts 11:16

    Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

  • Luke 3:16-18

    John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

  • John 1:27

    He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

  • Acts 13:23-25

    Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

  • John 3:28-36

    Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. …

  • John 1:7

    The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

  • John 5:33-35

    Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

  • Luke 1:76-79

    And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

  • Matthew 11:3-5

    And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

  • Matthew 21:25-32

    The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
John.
1:5; 11:16; 13:23-25; Mt 3:11,12; 11:3-5; 21:25-32; Mr 1:1-12
Lu 1:76-79; 3:16-18; Joh 1:15,27,29-34; 3:28-36; 5:33-35

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 19:3

    And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

  • Acts 19:4

    Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

  • Acts 19:5

    When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Read all of Acts 19

Acts 19:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijo Pablo: Juan bautizó con bautismo de arrepentimiento, diciendo al pueblo que creyesen en el que había de venir después de él, es á saber, en Jesús el Cristo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Paul dit: Jean a baptisé du baptême de la repentance, disant au peuple qu’ils croient en celui qui venait après lui, c’est-à-dire en Jésus.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Paulus aber sprach: Johannes hat mit der Taufe der Buße getauft, indem er dem Volke sagte, daß sie an den glauben sollten, der nach ihm käme, das ist an Jesum.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dixit autem Paulus: Joannes baptizavit baptismo pœnitentiæ populum, dicens in eum qui venturus esset post ipsum ut crederent, hoc est, in Jesum.