Acts 19:7 kjv
And all the men were about twelve.
Acts 19:7 nkjv
Now the men were about twelve in all.
Acts 19:7 niv
There were about twelve men in all.
Acts 19:7 esv
There were about twelve men in all.
Acts 19:7 nlt
There were about twelve men in all.
Acts 19 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 18:20 | "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." | Emphasis on small groups gathered in His name |
| Acts 1:15 | "In those days Peter stood among the brothers (a company of about 120)." | Comparison of early group sizes |
| Acts 2:41 | "So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." | Contrast with later growth |
| Acts 4:4 | "But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand." | Another significant group growth |
| Acts 6:2 | "And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, 'It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.'" | The twelve apostles as a foundational group |
| 1 Cor 1:10 | "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." | Importance of unity, even in a small group |
| Eph 4:3 | "striving to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." | The nature of unity |
| 1 Thess 5:14 | "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, hold up the weak, be patient with all." | Roles within a believing community |
| 2 Tim 2:2 | "and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." | Succession and entrusting of faith |
| Heb 12:22-24 | "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in joyful gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that says better things than Abel's." | The larger assembly of believers |
| Rev 7:4-8 | "Then I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of the people of Israel." | Symbolic large number, representing completeness |
| Rev 14:1 | "Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads." | Another significant count in Revelation |
| 1 Pet 3:7 | "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." | Prayer and relationship dynamics |
| Gal 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave, nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Unity in Christ transcends distinctions |
| Acts 19:2 | "He said to them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' And they said to him, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.'" | Setting the context for spiritual experience |
| Acts 19:6 | "And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy." | Demonstration of spiritual gifting |
| John 14:26 | "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." | Role of the Holy Spirit as teacher |
| 1 Cor 14:18, 24-25 | "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. [...] but if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is reproved by all, the secrets of his heart are laid bare, and thus he will fall down at God's feet and worship God, declaring that God is truly among you." | Public manifestations of the Spirit |
| Deut 32:30 | "How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up?" | God's power enabling the few |
| Num 24:9 | "He crouched, he lies down like a lion and like a lioness; who dares rouse him? Blessed be everyone who blesses you, and cursed be everyone who curses you!" | Blessing and pronouncements upon the people of God |
Acts 19 verses
Acts 19 7 Meaning
All the men were about twelve in number. This verse signifies a focused group, likely disciples or believers with Paul, underscoring a concentrated core of faith in Ephesus at that time. The precise number highlights that the initial core was relatively small, yet possessed significant spiritual authority.
Acts 19 7 Context
The context is Paul's ministry in Ephesus, a major city of Asia Minor. He encounters a group of twelve men who identify themselves as disciples. Upon inquiry, Paul discovers they were baptized with John's baptism and have not received the Holy Spirit, nor have they heard of His existence. Paul then instructs them further and baptizes them in the name of Jesus, and lays hands on them, resulting in the Holy Spirit coming upon them and them speaking in tongues and prophesying. This chapter demonstrates the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the distinction between John's baptism and Christian baptism empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19 7 Word Analysis
And (Greek: και - kai): A common conjunction connecting clauses or words, indicating continuation.
all (Greek: πας - pas): Every, each, all. Here, it emphasizes the completeness of the group described.
the (Greek: ὁ, ἡ, τό - ho, hē, to): The definite article, specifying a particular group.
men (Greek: ἄνθρωπος - anthrōpos): Man, person, human being. Used here to denote individuals.
about (Greek: ὡς - hōs): As, like, about, approximately. Indicates an estimation of the number.
twelve (Greek: δώδεκα - dōdeka): The numeral twelve.
in (Greek: ἐν - en): In, on, at. Preposition indicating location or inclusion.
number (Greek: ἀριθμός - arithmos): A number.
Group analysis: The phrase "all the men about twelve in number" denotes a specific, discernible group of males within the broader populace, with a collective count estimated around twelve. This emphasizes a focused unit rather than a general population.
Acts 19 7 Bonus Section
The number twelve often carries symbolic weight in the Bible, representing completeness, divine order, and God's authority. In the Old Testament, it appears as the twelve tribes of Israel. In the New Testament, Jesus chose twelve apostles, forming the foundation of the Church. This repetition of "twelve" suggests a continuation of God's established patterns of leadership and representation, now within the new covenant community. This group of twelve men in Ephesus, upon receiving the Holy Spirit, would then become catalysts for further spiritual impact, reflecting God’s power through a select few.
Acts 19 7 Commentary
This verse pinpoints a specific, limited group of individuals, totaling approximately twelve men, encountered by Paul. It signifies that the nascent Christian movement, or at least this particular branch of it in Ephesus, was characterized by small, identifiable core groups of believers. The mention of "twelve" might subtly echo the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve apostles, signifying a foundational or representative element within this Ephesian context. Their encounter with Paul, described immediately after, highlights the deficiency in their spiritual experience before receiving the full impartation of the Holy Spirit through apostolic ministry, pointing to a distinct advancement in their faith.