Acts 19:1
in Acts 19While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples:
KJV
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
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This verse in Acts 19
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAccordingly, in the Acts of the Apostles, we find that men who had "John's baptism" had not received the Holy Spirit, whom they knew not even by hearing. That, then, was no celestial thing which furnished no celestial (endowments): whereas the very thing which was celestial in John-the Spirit of prophecy-so completely failed, after the transfer of the whole Spirit to the Lord, that he presently sent to inquire whether He whom he had himself preached, whom he had pointed out when coming to him, were "HE.
This site's exposition
came to Ephesus
on Acts 19:1-2
Paul comes to Ephesus by the upper, inland route, arriving while Apollos is already teaching at Corinth, and finds certain disciples there whose exact status the chapter is about to test. Asked whether they received the Holy Ghost since they believed, they answer that they have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Ghost, a reply commentators have long weighed between ignorance of a distinct gift of the Spirit and, less likely given John's own teaching in John 1:33, ignorance that the Spirit had yet been given at all. The site's continuationist reading holds that these twelve are genuine but incomplete believers under John's preparatory baptism, still awaiting the fuller reality Pentecost brought, a reading held alongside others that treat them as disciples of John never yet joined to Christ at all. The bench notes that whichever reading is taken, the text moves at once to supply what is lacking rather than to debate the category.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper coasts" - meaning what we have read as to Caesarea and the other places - "came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples." But whence had those, being in Ephesus, the baptism of John? Probably they had been on a visit at Jerusalem at the time of John's preaching, and did not even know Jesus.
"And it came to pass, while Apollo was at Corinth, that Paul having passed through the upper coasts, came," etc. While Apollo was at Corinth, it came to pass that Paul, having passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus, where, having found certain disciples, …
Knowing only John's baptism. It is worth asking how, if he knew only John's baptism, he nevertheless possessed the Spirit; for the Spirit was not given in that way. And if those who came after him needed the baptism of Christ, much more would he …
The Medieval Church1 voice
These, from among "certain disciples," who did not even know that there is a Holy Spirit, differed greatly from the other disciples, because from the words "that they should believe in Him who was coming after him" it is evident that they did not believe …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth,.... Whither he came after the Apostle Paul, and where he watered what the apostle had planted, and where he became very famous and eminent; insomuch that he was set up, though not with his will, at the head of a party, in opposition to the chief of the apostles, Peter and Paul; see 1Co 1:
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
At his first coming, he met with some disciples there, who professed faith in Christ as the true Messiah, but were as yet in the first and lowest form in the school of Christ, under his usher John the Baptist.
Having passed through - Galatia and Phrygia, which were termed the upper parts of Asia Minor. Certain disciples - Who had been formerly baptized by John the Baptist, and since imperfectly instructed in Christianity.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
While Apollos was at Corinth - It is probable that he remained there a considerable time. Paul, having passed through the upper coasts - The upper, or more elevated regions of Asia Minor. The writer refers here particularly to the provinces of Phrygia and Galatia, Act 18:23. These regions were called upper, because they were situated on the high table-land in the interior of Asia Minor, while Ephesus was in the low maritime regions, and called the low country. Came to Ephesus - Agreeably to his promise, Act 18:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Paul having passed through the upper coasts--"parts," the interior of Asia Minor, which, with reference to the seacoast, was elevated. came to Ephesus--thus fulfilling his promise (Ac 18:21). finding certain disciples--in the same stage of Christian knowledge as Apollos at first, newly arrived, probably, and having had no communication as yet with the church at Ephesus.
And it came to pass - while Apollos was at Corinth - The Codex Bezae begins this chapter differently. But then Paul was desirous, according to his own counsel, to go to Jerusalem, the Spirit commanded him to return into Asia: then, passing through the upper parts, he came to Ephesus. This addition is also found in the Latin or Itala part of the same MS., and in the margin of the later Syriac. Paul having passed through the upper coasts - That is, through those parts of Asia Minor that lay eastward of Ephesus, such as Galatia, Phrygia, and probably Lycaonia and Lydia; and it is in reference to Ephesus that these are called the upper coasts. See their situation on the map.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐγένετο | egeneto | It came to pass | G1096 → | 667 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐν | en | while | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἀπολλῶ | apollo | Apollos | G625 → | |
| εἶναι | einai | being | G1511 → | 123 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Κορίνθῳ, | korintho | Corinth, | G2882 → | |
| Παῦλον | paulon | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| διελθόντα | dielthonta | having passed through | G1330 → | 43 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνωτερικὰ | anoterika | upper | G510 → | |
| μέρη | mere | parts | G3313 → | 42 times |
| κατελθεῖν | katelthein | to come down | G2718 → | 16 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Ἔφεσον | epheson | Ephesus | G2181 → | 16 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εὑρεῖν | heurein | finding | G2147 → | 175 times |
| τινας | tinas | certain | G5100 → | 528 times |
| μαθητάς, | mathetas | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
ἘγένετοIt came to pass
egenetoG1096 →667 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐνwhile
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἈπολλῶApollos
apolloG625 →
εἶναιbeing
einaiG1511 →123 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
Κορίνθῳ,Corinth,
korinthoG2882 →
ΠαῦλονPaul
paulonG3972 →158 times
διελθόνταhaving passed through
dielthontaG1330 →43 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἀνωτερικὰupper
anoterikaG510 →
μέρηparts
mereG3313 →42 times
κατελθεῖνto come down
kateltheinG2718 →16 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἜφεσονEphesus
ephesonG2181 →16 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εὑρεῖνfinding
heureinG2147 →175 times
τιναςcertain
tinasG5100 →528 times
μαθητάς,disciples
mathetasG3101 →260 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 18:1After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their…
- 2 Timothy 4:20
Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.
- 2 Corinthians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
- 1 Corinthians 1:2
Through
1 Corinthians 1:12What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
it leads to
- Matthew 23:9–10
And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
- John 1:42
Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).
- 1 Corinthians 3:21–23
Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours,
- 1 Corinthians 3:4–6
For when one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
- Matthew 23:9–10
Through
1 Corinthians 16:12Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:12
What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:12
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- Person1st century ADApollosEloquent, Alexandrian-trained teacher mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:24-28), instructed more perfectly by Priscilla and Aquila;…
- PlaceAchaiaCorinthThe Greek port city from which Paul wrote Romans during his three-month stay, and home of the church of 1–2 Corinthians.
- PlaceAsia MinorEphesusGreat harbor city of Asia, home of the Artemis temple; Paul's three-year base where the word grew mightily; addressed in Ephesians…
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 40; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Tertullian, On Baptism and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.