When Paul himself arrives at Ephesus, he confronts a group of disciples who have not received the Holy Spirit (19:1–7). Paul then places his hands on them, and they receive the Holy Spirit, which is confirmed by their ability to speak in tongues and to prophesy (19:6). In this brief account, Luke provides a significant discussion of the role of Paul, the identity of these Gentile believers, and the message Paul preaches. First, the significance of Paul is revealed when this account is read in light of the earlier description of the Samaritans’ reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:19). The Samaritan believers did not receive the Spirit until the Jerusalem apostles placed their hands on them. In this account, Paul takes on the role of the Jerusalem apostles, as the Spirit descends on the be…