Acts 19:1-10

Paul in Ephesus

1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.
4Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7There were about twelve men in all.

8Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

Paul in Ephesus

Paul purposely went back to Ephesus to find others like Apollos who were baptized by John for the purpose of repentance. Upon hearing Paul's testimony about Jesus, his death, burial & resurrection, about twelve heard and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. It was when Paul laid his hands upon them, that they received the Holy Spirit, and they began speaking in tongues & prophesying!

This event is the 3rd scene in the Book of Acts related to tongue-speaking. In all three occurrences, this phenomenon coincides with instruction on the Holy Spirit as new groups are incorporated into the church (2:4; 10:46; 19:6).

v.8 For Paul to be allowed to speak in the synagogue for 3 months without getting beaten or booted out was a record for Paul. compare this scene to the 3 weeks in Thessalonica (17:2-3.)

It was obvious that Paul was passionate about spreading the word throughout the world. Paul likely did most the teaching of God's Word in Ephesus in the school of Tyrannus. There he taught students who came from throughout the province. They then took the Word back to their home cities.