And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss here is that Paul's journey wasn't a direct coastal route; he traveled inland through the "upper coasts," a rugged, elevated region. This choice reveals his deliberate path, moving through the interior of Asia Minor before reaching the bustling port city of Ephesus.
And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul arrives in Ephesus after traveling through the inland regions of Asia Minor, a significant city and the heart of idolatry and magic. He's coming there purposefully, having previously promised to return. While he's there, he encounters a group of people who are disciples, but their understanding of faith is incomplete, much like Apollos's earlier situation in Corinth.
Paul's journeys weren't random wanderings. His path through the 'upper coasts' to Ephesus was a deliberate move into a spiritual stronghold.
The text tells us Paul passed through the 'upper coasts' on his way to Ephesus.
Paul discovered people who seemed to be believers, but their understanding was incomplete. Who were they, and what did they lack?
When Paul arrived in Ephesus, he 'found some disciples.' This encounter is crucial for understanding the spiritual landscape he entered.
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Understand the original words
mathētēs · Greek Noun
A follower or learner, specifically someone who adheres to the teachings and person of Jesus Christ. It denotes a committed relationship characterized by instruction, imitation, and devotion to the Master.
This verse places Paul's arrival in Ephesus within the context of his broader missionary journeys and a specific moment when Apollos, another key Christian leader, was ministering elsewhere. The encounter with disciples who only knew John's baptism highlights the spiritual needs and the developing nature of the early church.
c. AD 49-52
Paul's Second Missionary Journey
Paul undertakes his second major missionary journey throughout Asia Minor and Greece, planting churches and strengthening believers.
c. AD 52
Apollos Preaches in Corinth
The eloquent Apollos, a Jewish Christian from Alexandria, powerfully expounds the Scriptures and teaches about Jesus in Corinth.
c. AD 52— this verse
Paul Travels Through Inland Asia Minor
After his ministry in Greece, Paul travels back towards Asia Minor, taking an inland route through regions like Galatia and Phrygia.
c. AD 52
Paul Arrives in Ephesus
Paul reaches Ephesus, a major port city and the capital of the Roman province of Asia, intending to stay for an extended period.
c. AD 52
Discovery of John's Disciples
In Ephesus, Paul encounters a group of believers who had been baptized by John the Baptist but had not yet received the Holy Spirit.
This passage describes Apollos, who also preached in Ephesus and had a similar level of understanding regarding the Holy Spirit. It highlights that people could be knowledgeable and zealous for God but still lack full understanding of Jesus' work.
Matthew 28:19-20Jesus commissioned his disciples to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them. This verse shows the beginning of that process, with Paul encountering disciples who had received an initial form of baptism but needed further teaching.
1 Corinthians 1:10-13Paul addresses divisions within the Corinthian church, showing that even early believers struggled with understanding core truths and aligning around Christ. This context helps understand how disciples could follow John but need Paul's clarification.
John 1:29-34This passage describes John the Baptist's ministry, pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God. The disciples Paul finds in Ephesus were likely baptized with John's baptism, signifying repentance and pointing to the coming Messiah, but not yet fully understanding the implications of Jesus' finished work.
ellicottActs 19:1: "And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,"
XIX. (1) Paul having passed through the upper coasts.—This implies a route passing from Galatia and Phrygia through the interior, and coming thence to Ephesus. The “coast,” in the modern sense of the term, St. Paul did not even approach.
pooleActs 19:1: "And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,"
Acts 19:1-7 The Holy Ghost is conferred by Paul on twelve of John’s disciples. Acts 19:8-12 He preacheth at Ephesus, first in the synagogue, and afterwards in a private school for two years; God confirming the word by special miracles. Acts 19:13-20 Certain Jewish exorcists, attempting to cast out a devil in the name of Jesus, are sent…
What's easy to miss here is that Paul's journey wasn't a direct coastal route; he traveled inland through the "upper coasts," a rugged, elevated region. This choice reveals his deliberate path, moving through the interior of Asia Minor before reaching the bustling port city of Ephesus.
Paul arrives in Ephesus after traveling through the inland regions of Asia Minor, a significant city and the heart of idolatry and magic. He's coming there purposefully, having previously promised to return. While he's there, he encounters a group of people who are disciples, but their understanding of faith is incomplete, much like Apollos's earlier situation in Corinth.
Paul arrives in Ephesus after traveling through the inland regions of Asia Minor, a significant city and the heart of idolatry and magic. He's coming there purposefully, having previously promised to return. While he's there, he encounters a group of people who are disciples, but their understanding of faith is incomplete, much like Apollos's earlier situation in Corinth.
"And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples." — What's easy to miss here is that Paul's journey wasn't a direct coastal route; he traveled inland through the "upper coasts," a rugged, elevated region. This choice reveals his deliberate path, movin…
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Last reviewed October 2026