Apollos wasn’t preaching the Holy Spirit, just repentance. Paul corrects the situation. They are baptized again. It’s okay to be rebaptized if you are doing it in a new name, in a new faith.

They were baptized in Jesus’ name, in His power and authority. Then Paul lays hands on them to baptize them with the Holy Spirit. We see in Acts that this can happen without anyone laying on hands. It happened for me that way. But even though we’re told Jesus would be the one to baptize with the Holy Spirit, we still lay on hands. That’s the general Biblical model. There is evidence of the Spirit having filled them; it seems some start speaking in tongues and some are prophesying.

We again see a few ruining it for the many. Some continue in unbelief and speak evil of the Way before the congregation, so Paul leaves with the disciples. He does keep preaching though until, we’re told, all the residents of Asia had heard the word of the Lord! That’s not what we know as Asia today.  “Asia” in the Bible corresponds to what we know as Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey.

In Acts 19 we have the story of the Seven Sons of Sceva trying to imitate Paul by casting out demons in the name of Jesus. The problem was that they weren’t in the name of Jesus. They weren’t in Christ. They didn’t bear His name. They were trying to use His name. We don’t wave around the name of Jesus like a magic wand trying to make things happen. We carry the Kingdom in us and we bring it to people. God’s power is the only true power touching anyone’s life to lasting transformation. We don’t use God’s name. We bear His name. We are His representatives.

It doesn’t go well for these seven sons. The demons know Christ is not present and they have no fear of man. The demons knew Jesus. They recognized Paul. These men were nothing to them and they get beaten badly by the demons.

God uses it for good and the name of Jesus is exalted. People feared God. Many believers get free of their old lives, literally putting to death their old life through burning the things associated with their former beliefs.