St Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey

Paul’s third missionary journey (52- 57 AD) traversed much of the same territory as the second, but he spent nearly three years in Ephesus. It was in this city, Luke says, that Paul discovered believers who had been baptized “with the baptism of John” but had not been baptized in Jesus’ name. When Paul asked them if they had received the holy Spirit, they answered bluntly, “We have never even heard that there is a holy Spirit” (cf. Acts 19:2). Paul explained who Jesus was and the men agreed to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. He then lay hands on them and the Spirit came down upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. His success in making converts was accompanied by miraculous demonstrations. Luke records that when a piece of cloth that had touched Paul was applied to sick people, they were cured and demons were exorcised (Acts 19:12).