Acts 1:5 kjv
For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 1:5 nkjv
for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Acts 1:5 niv
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 1:5 esv
for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Acts 1:5 nlt
John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 1 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 3:11 | "I indeed baptize you with water... He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost..." | John's prophecy of Messiah's Spirit baptism |
| Mk 1:8 | "I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." | John contrasting his baptism |
| Lk 3:16 | "John answered, saying unto them all... He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire..." | John's prophetic statement of Spirit baptism |
| Jn 1:33 | "I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." | Confirmation of John's purpose and Messiah's baptism |
| Isa 44:3 | "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed..." | Old Testament promise of Spirit outpouring |
| Eze 36:27 | "And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes..." | New Covenant promise of God's indwelling Spirit |
| Joel 2:28 | "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh..." | Prophecy of the Spirit's universal outpouring |
| Lk 24:49 | "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." | Jesus' command to wait for empowering Spirit |
| Jn 14:26 | "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things..." | Jesus' promise of the indwelling Helper |
| Jn 16:7 | "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." | Necessity of Jesus' departure for Spirit's advent |
| Acts 1:4 | "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father..." | Direct context: Waiting for the Father's promise |
| Acts 2:1-4 | "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost..." | Fulfillment of the promise at Pentecost |
| Acts 2:38 | "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." | Promise of the Spirit for all believers |
| Acts 8:16-17 | "For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus... then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." | Samaritans receiving the Spirit through apostolic ministry |
| Acts 10:44-45 | "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word... because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost." | Gentiles receiving the Spirit by divine initiative |
| Acts 11:16 | "Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." | Peter recalls Jesus' words in Acts 1:5 confirming Gentiles' experience |
| 1 Cor 12:13 | "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles..." | Spirit baptism for church unity |
| Gal 3:2 | "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" | Spirit received by faith, not works |
| Eph 1:13 | "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise..." | Spirit as a seal and guarantee |
| Tit 3:5-6 | "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour..." | Regeneration and renewal through the Holy Spirit |
| Rom 8:9 | "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." | The Spirit's indwelling defines Christian identity |
Acts 1 verses
Acts 1 5 Meaning
Acts 1:5 communicates a pivotal distinction between the preparatory water baptism administered by John the Baptist and the profound spiritual baptism soon to be given by God Himself: the immersion in the Holy Spirit. This verse emphasizes that the disciples are to wait for an imminent, divine outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which will empower them for witness and establish the new era of the church, vastly surpassing any previous ceremonial cleansing.
Acts 1 5 Context
Acts 1:5 forms part of Jesus’ final instructions and promises to His disciples during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension. It is spoken after Jesus commanded them to "wait for the promise of the Father" in Jerusalem (Acts 1:4), setting the immediate stage for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The verse highlights the foundational difference between John's water baptism, which was a baptism of repentance and preparation, and the baptism with the Holy Spirit, which imparts divine power and inaugurates the new covenant church, empowering believers to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). This conversation marks a theological transition from the Old Covenant expectation to the New Covenant reality driven by the indwelling and empowering Spirit.
Acts 1 5 Word analysis
- For (Gk. hoti): Introduces the reason or explanation for the previous statement concerning "the promise of the Father." It links the awaited promise directly to the coming baptism with the Holy Spirit.
- John (Gk. Ioannes): Refers to John the Baptist, the divinely appointed forerunner who prepared the way for Christ's ministry. His baptism, though significant, was temporary and symbolic.
- truly (Gk. men): An emphasizing particle affirming the historical fact of John's baptism, setting it up in contrast with what is to follow. It implies "indeed" or "it is true that."
- baptized (Gk. ebaptisen): From baptizo, meaning "to immerse," "to dip." Here, it describes John's practice of ceremonial washing by immersion, symbolic of repentance and cleansing.
- with water (Gk. en hudati): Specifies the medium of John's baptism. It was a physical element, signifying outward repentance and readiness for Messiah, but lacking the transformative spiritual power.
- but (Gk. de): A strong adversative conjunction that emphatically introduces a contrasting truth. It signals a paradigm shift from John's limited ministry to the coming greater work of Christ.
- ye (Gk. humeis): Placed for emphasis, distinguishing the disciples and those who would believe from others, highlighting them as direct recipients of this imminent, powerful experience.
- shall be baptized (Gk. baptisthesesthe): Future passive indicative of baptizo. The passive voice emphasizes that this baptism is something God performs upon the believer; it is a divine action, not a human ritual or achievement.
- with the Holy Ghost (Gk. en Pneumati Hagiō): This signifies the agent and medium of the baptism. Pneuma means spirit, wind, or breath; Hagiō means holy or set apart. This baptism is an inner, spiritual immersion and indwelling by God's own Spirit, resulting in spiritual union and empowerment. It is the core of the "promise of the Father."
- not many days hence (Gk. ou meta pollos tautas hemeras): A clear and concise temporal indicator, building anticipation and setting a very short, specific timeframe for the fulfillment of the promise, tying directly to the Pentecost event.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "John truly baptized with water": This phrase unequivocally affirms John's historical ministry and its nature. It served as a vital preparatory act for repentance, but it was fundamentally outward and ceremonial, dependent on a physical element. It looks backward to the Law and prophetic preparation.
- "but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost": This stands in sharp, intentional contrast to John's baptism. The shift highlights a new, superior form of baptism that is inward, spiritual, and dynamic. The passive voice ("shall be baptized") underlines divine initiative – God is the baptizer, and the Spirit is the medium. This signifies the profound indwelling, empowering, and uniting work of the Spirit, introducing the new age of grace.
- "not many days hence": This prophetic temporal marker creates immediate expectation and confirms the imminent fulfillment of God's promise. It shows the nearness of the Pentecost event, the public inauguration of the Church empowered by the Spirit for worldwide witness.
Acts 1 5 Bonus section
- The "baptism with the Holy Spirit" described here is distinct from water baptism for repentance (as practiced by John and the apostles) or water baptism for salvation (as commanded for believers), though closely related in sequence and purpose within the broader work of God. It points specifically to an initial endowment of spiritual power for ministry and witness, enabling believers to live the empowered life in Christ.
- This verse explicitly answers an unspoken tension for the disciples: they had been followers of John, then followers of Jesus; they understood repentance and outward cleansing. Now, Jesus introduces an entirely new dimension of spiritual experience and empowerment that completes and far surpasses John's work.
- The promise here directly ties to Old Testament prophecies of a future pouring out of God's Spirit upon His people, indicating the ushering in of the new covenant age as foretold by prophets like Joel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah.
Acts 1 5 Commentary
Acts 1:5 is a critical statement of transition and theological fulfillment. Jesus clearly distinguishes the preparatory water baptism of John, which called for repentance, from the subsequent, supernatural baptism with the Holy Spirit. This promised Spirit baptism is not merely an outward symbol but a dynamic, internal immersion into the very presence and power of God, empowering believers for effective witness and ministry in a manner previously unavailable. This prophetic utterance of Jesus looks directly to Pentecost, where the disciples would experience this immersion, enabling them to fulfill the Great Commission with divine enablement. The Spirit's arrival fundamentally transforms their capacity to represent Christ, establishing the New Covenant reality where God’s Spirit indwells and animates His people for His purposes.