Acts 19:6
What does Acts 19:6 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 19:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 19:6 means
When Paul lays hands on them, the Holy Spirit comes, and they speak in tongues and prophesy. This serves as a visible confirmation that these believers have entered the New Covenant blessings promised by Jesus. Tongues and prophecy are not everyday guarantees but God’s chosen signs here to authenticate their transition from John’s baptism to full fellowship in Christ. The laying on of hands highlights apostolic recognition and unity with the broader church. In a city saturated with claims of spiritual power, God demonstrates that the Spirit’s work is real and sovereign. The authority is not Paul’s own, but God’s, who graciously affirms faith in the Lord Jesus with clear evidence.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And when Paul had put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they had the power of talking in tongues, and acting like prophets.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and Paul having laid on them <FI>his<Fi> hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them: and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And Paul having laid [his] hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Context
This experiential sealing follows their baptism into Jesus’ name and echoes Pentecost-like manifestations in Acts 2 and 10. It completes the narrative of the twelve moving from partial understanding to Spirit-filled discipleship. The next verse numbers them—about twelve men—before Luke turns to Paul’s public ministry in the synagogue and beyond. The Spirit’s arrival here sets the spiritual backdrop for the extraordinary works and confrontations that will characterize Paul’s Ephesian ministry.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Timothy 1:6
For which cause I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee through the laying on of my hands.
- Acts 10:45
And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 6:6
whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.
- Acts 13:1
Now there were at Antioch, in the church that wasthere, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
- Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues.
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