Acts 19:7 - Printer Friendly

What does Acts 19:7 mean?

ESV: There were about twelve men in all.

NIV: There were about twelve men in all.

NASB: There were about twelve men in all.

CSB: Now there were about twelve men in all.

NLT: There were about twelve men in all.

KJV: And all the men were about twelve.

NKJV: Now the men were about twelve in all.

Verse Commentary:

It seems Paul had first been to Ephesus for less than a week. He was coming home to Syrian Antioch from Corinth; his ship took him across the Aegean Sea from the east coast of Greece to the west coast of modern-day Turkey. He spent a very short time in the synagogue, explaining how Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the Hebrew Scriptures' prophecies of the Messiah. The people there asked him to stay longer, but he wanted to get to Jerusalem and promised to return if he could. He did leave his friends and fellow-Christians Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus (Acts 18:19–21).

While Paul sailed to Judea and then traveled up to Syrian Antioch, Priscilla and Aquila joined the synagogue and met a Jewish man named Apollos from Alexandria. Apollos was a strong follower of John the Baptist and passionately shared John's message that God-followers and Jews needed to repent from their sins and resolve to obey God. Apollos knew some things about Jesus but didn't quite understand Jesus as the Messiah who came to reconcile people to God. Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside and explained Jesus' story to him. He quickly believed and taught as fervently about Jesus as he had about John. After a time, he left Ephesus and took Paul's place in Corinth (Acts 18:24–28).

John's message had always been popular. Even though he had publicly condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 3:7), the Jewish leaders were still afraid of criticizing him three years after his death for fear of his followers (Mark 11:27–33). Somehow, whether by hearing from John in Judea or by hearing from Apollos in Ephesus, twelve men in Ephesus had heard John's message of repentance and publicly aligned with his call to repentance by receiving John's baptism.

When Paul returns to Ephesus during his third missionary journey, he meets these men. Like Priscilla and Aquila with Apollos, he shows the men how John was merely the messenger who announced the coming of Jesus. The men put their faith in Jesus and agree to align themselves with His offer of salvation from sins and reconciliation with God (Acts 19:1–6).

Paul will stay in Ephesus for about three years (Acts 20:31). With Priscilla and Aquila (1 Corinthians 16:19), he will build a solid church filled with Gentiles who flee demonic magic to follow the true God (Acts 19:18–20). The church members will become experts in revealing false teachers, but they will have trouble keeping their eyes on Jesus instead of the threat of the enemy. In Jesus' words to them, "I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first" (Revelation 2:3–4).

Acts 19:1–7 continues the story of Paul's third missionary trip that began with his tour of the churches in central modern-day Turkey (Acts 18:23). Now, he is in Ephesus in the province of Asia in western Turkey. He had been in Ephesus for a short time before and will now stay for about three years (Acts 18:19–21; 20:31). His first encounter is with twelve men who know about John the Baptist and his baptism for repentance but not about Jesus, whom John promised would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

Chapter Summary:

Acts 19 recounts Paul's three-year visit in Ephesus. He starts by revealing how Jesus of Nazareth has brought to life the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit validates Paul's message by healing those struck with physical ailments and demon possession. Amazed by Paul's authority over evil spirits, so many magicians turn to Christ that the craftsmen who make idols fear for their livelihoods. They nearly incite a riot before the town clerk settles them down. Paul realizes his time in Ephesus has ended, and he travels to Macedonia (Acts 20:1).

Chapter Context:

Acts 19 is the meat of Paul's third missionary voyage. He has already revisited the churches in central modern-day Turkey (Acts 18:23). Now he returns to Ephesus for a three-year stay. After firmly establishing the church there, rescuing many from pagan magic and the worship of Artemis, he returns to Macedonia and Greece. A threat on his life sends him back up to Macedonia and across to Troas. He meets briefly with the Ephesian elders to tell them they will not meet again (Acts 20). When he returns to Jerusalem, he is arrested and, eventually, taken to Rome.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.

Accessed 5/2/2024 7:17:27 AM