Acts 19:5 kjv
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:5 nkjv
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:5 niv
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:5 esv
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19:5 nlt
As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 19 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Baptism in Jesus' Name/Authority | ||
| Acts 2:38 | "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ..." | Early Christian baptismal practice in Jesus' name. |
| Acts 8:16 | "for the Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." | Example of baptism preceding Holy Spirit reception. |
| Acts 10:48 | "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." | Peter commanding Gentiles to be baptized. |
| Matt 28:19 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." | The Great Commission's baptismal command. |
| Gal 3:27 | "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." | Baptism signifies union and identity with Christ. |
| Rom 6:3-4 | "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" | Baptism as participation in Christ's death and resurrection. |
| Col 2:12 | "having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God..." | Baptism symbolizes spiritual burial and resurrection with Christ. |
| Acts 22:16 | "And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name." | Baptism connected with calling on Jesus' name. |
| 1 Cor 1:13 | "Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" | Highlights that baptism is into Christ, not a man. |
| John's Baptism vs. Christian Baptism | ||
| Lk 3:16 | "John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming...he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”" | John foretells a greater baptism by Christ. |
| Mk 1:8 | "I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." | John's clear distinction about his baptism. |
| Jn 1:33 | "I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’" | John identifies Jesus as the Spirit-baptizer. |
| Acts 18:25-26 | Apollos knew only John's baptism until Priscilla and Aquila taught him the way of God more accurately. | Parallel example of incomplete knowledge requiring further teaching. |
| Response to the Gospel/Faith | ||
| Rom 10:17 | "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." | Emphasizes the role of hearing in faith formation. |
| Acts 17:30 | "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent," | God's call for repentance based on new understanding. |
| Lk 24:47 | "and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." | Proclamation of repentance and forgiveness in Jesus' name. |
| Jn 6:29 | "Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”" | Belief in Jesus as the primary work God requires. |
| Significance of "Lord Jesus" | ||
| Phil 2:9-11 | "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." | The supreme authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ. |
| Rom 10:9 | "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." | Confession of Jesus' Lordship is foundational for salvation. |
| 1 Cor 12:3 | "no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit." | Acknowledging Jesus as Lord is a Spirit-led confession. |
| Discipleship/Receiving the Spirit | ||
| Acts 19:2 | "He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”..." | Directly preceding context, linking belief, Spirit, and baptism. |
| Jn 7:39 | "Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive..." | The promise of the Spirit for believers. |
Acts 19 verses
Acts 19 5 Meaning
Acts 19:5 describes an essential transition for twelve men in Ephesus who had previously received only John's baptism of repentance. Upon hearing Paul's explanation that John's baptism pointed to belief in Jesus, they responded with immediate faith and were subsequently baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. This act signified their full identification with Christ, acceptance of His authority, and entrance into the covenant community He established.
Acts 19 5 Context
Acts chapter 19 begins with Paul's arrival in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. He encounters about twelve disciples who had experienced John's baptism, which was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and in preparation for the coming Messiah (Acts 19:4). However, these disciples were unaware of the Holy Spirit. Paul questioned them about their spiritual state, realizing they possessed an incomplete understanding of the gospel. He explained that John's baptism was meant to point people towards belief in the one who was coming after him, namely Jesus. This verse, Acts 19:5, describes their response to Paul's clear articulation of the Gospel: they immediately embraced the message and were subsequently baptized into the full revelation of Jesus' Lordship, laying the foundation for their reception of the Holy Spirit shortly thereafter (Acts 19:6). The narrative highlights the distinction and progression from John's preparatory baptism to the more complete Christian baptism associated with the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Acts 19 5 Word analysis
When they heard this (Greek: ἀκούσαντες, akousantes, an aorist participle, meaning "having heard"):
- Signifies a receptive and attentive hearing, leading to understanding. It indicates an immediate and decisive response to Paul's explanation.
- "This" refers specifically to Paul's clarification in Acts 19:4 that John's baptism was a call to believe in Jesus, the one who was to come. It wasn't just hearing words but grasping the message's import.
they were baptized (Greek: ἐβαπτίσθησαν, ebaptisthēsan, an aorist passive indicative):
- The passive voice ("were baptized") emphasizes that baptism is an act done to the believer, symbolizing God's work in salvation and the believer's identification with Christ.
- The Greek term baptizō implies immersion, symbolizing death to the old life and resurrection to a new life in Christ (Rm 6:3-4).
- This was Christian baptism, distinct from their previous baptism by John, demonstrating the completeness of their new understanding and commitment to Jesus. It was not a re-baptism but the first true Christian baptism for them, as they now believed in Christ.
in the name (Greek: εἰς τὸ ὄνομα, eis to onoma):
- This phrase is crucial and signifies much more than a mere formula. "Into the name" implies dedication, allegiance, ownership, and identification.
- It means to become associated with, united with, and subject to the authority of that name. They were consecrated to, and became the property of, the Lord Jesus.
- This contrasts with "in John's name" from v. 3; their baptism now unequivocally placed them under Jesus's sovereign Lordship.
of the Lord Jesus (Greek: κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, Kyriou Iēsou):
- "Lord" (κύριος, kyrios) is a powerful title affirming Jesus's divine authority, sovereignty, and supreme position. It signifies recognition of Him not just as a prophet or messiah, but as God.
- The combination "Lord Jesus" represents a complete theological statement, acknowledging Jesus's saving work and His exalted status, especially crucial in Ephesus, a city filled with various deities and cults where proclaiming Jesus as "Lord" had significant counter-cultural implications.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "When they heard this, they were baptized": This sequence highlights the crucial link between accurate understanding of the Gospel message concerning Jesus Christ and the act of Christian baptism. Their hearing led directly to their reception of baptism, signifying repentance and belief.
- "baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus": This phrase defines the essence and significance of Christian baptism. It is an act of identification with and allegiance to Jesus Christ, acknowledging His ultimate authority and Lordship, thereby moving beyond the preparatory nature of John's baptism to full embrace of the Messiah's new covenant.
Acts 19 5 Bonus section
- Significance for early church practice: This account supports the understanding that believers who only knew John's baptism or had an incomplete understanding of the Christian message were appropriately baptized upon a clear confession of Jesus' Lordship, signifying a more complete Christian initiation.
- Apostolic Authority: Paul, as an apostle, exercised his authority in instructing and baptizing, underscoring the importance of correct doctrine and practice within the early Christian community.
- Transition Theology: The narrative beautifully illustrates the theological transition from the Old Covenant to the New, where John served as the final prophet of the old, paving the way for Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the new. John's baptism was provisional, looking forward; Christian baptism looks back at Christ's completed work and forward to His indwelling presence.
Acts 19 5 Commentary
Acts 19:5 captures a pivotal moment of clarification and transformation for these Ephesian disciples. It underlines that John's baptism, while valid in its preparatory role, was incomplete in the era of the fulfilled Messiah. True Christian baptism, symbolized by water immersion "in the name of the Lord Jesus," denotes more than repentance; it signifies full belief in and allegiance to Jesus as the resurrected Lord. This act marks the believer's incorporation into Christ's person, authority, and saving work, making them identified with His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom 6:3-4). The verse implicitly contrasts the knowledge these disciples possessed with the fuller truth of the Gospel. It serves as a reminder that the object of our faith is not a concept or a preparatory rite, but the living Person of Jesus Christ and His established Lordship, a confession fundamental to New Testament conversion.