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And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Acts 19:6 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.
  • KJV And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
  • BSB And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
  • NASB And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.
  • NLT Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

When Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Overview

This visible coming of the Spirit confirmed their full incorporation into the new-covenant people, paralleling Pentecost. Such signs in Acts often accompanied key transitional moments in the gospel's expansion. Faithful Christians differ on whether such manifestations are normative today, but all agree the Spirit is given to every true believer in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Acts 6:6whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
  • Acts 2:4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
  • Mark 16:17These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;
  • 1 Tim 5:22Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other men’s sins. Keep yourself pure.
  • Acts 9:17Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
  • 1 Cor 14:1–25Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
  • 2 Tim 1:6For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
  • 1 Cor 12:8–11For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;
  • Acts 8:17–19Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
  • Acts 10:45–46They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.
  • 1 Cor 12:28–30God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.
  • Acts 13:1–2Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 19:6YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 19:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.