Acts 10 47

Acts 10:47 kjv

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Acts 10:47 nkjv

"Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

Acts 10:47 niv

"Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."

Acts 10:47 esv

"Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

Acts 10:47 nlt

"Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?"

Acts 10 verses

Acts 10 47 Meaning

Acts 10:47 marks a pivotal moment in the early Christian church. Peter's rhetorical question powerfully asserts that since God has undeniably poured out the Holy Spirit upon these Gentiles, just as He did upon the Jewish apostles at Pentecost, no human authority has the right to refuse them water baptism. It signifies God's sovereign acceptance of Gentiles into the new covenant without requiring prior adherence to Mosaic law or Jewish traditions like circumcision, thus affirming their full and equal inclusion in the body of Christ based on faith and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Water baptism, in this context, becomes an outward testimony and official recognition of an inward, Spirit-given reality.

Acts 10 47 Context

Acts chapter 10 recounts the extraordinary events surrounding Peter's encounter with Cornelius, a Roman centurion. God orchestrated this meeting through visions given to both Peter (Acts 10:9-16) and Cornelius (Acts 10:3-6), clearly indicating His desire to break down the deep-seated Jewish-Gentile barriers that existed in 1st-century society. For a Jew, interacting with Gentiles, especially eating with them, was strictly prohibited by cultural norms, reinforced by interpretations of ceremonial purity laws. Peter's vision, instructing him to eat "unclean" animals, was God's direct preparation for Him to set aside these prejudices. Upon arriving at Cornelius's house in Caesarea, Peter began to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. While he was still speaking, the Holy Spirit sovereignly fell upon Cornelius's entire household and friends—Gentiles—evidenced by their speaking in tongues and glorifying God, just as the Jewish disciples experienced at Pentecost. This divine outpouring, preceding water baptism, profoundly impacted Peter and the Jewish believers accompanying him, proving beyond doubt that God had fully accepted these uncircumcised Gentiles. Verse 47 is Peter's immediate, logical conclusion in response to this undeniable divine affirmation.

Acts 10 47 Word analysis

• Can any man: A rhetorical question (Greek: Μήτι δύναται τις - Mēti dynatai tis). The particle mēti expects a negative answer. It signifies an unanswerable objection or an absurd proposition, powerfully implying that no human has the authority to object. This highlights that human traditions or prejudices are powerless against God's direct act.
• forbid: (κωλῦσαι, kōlysai) - This Greek word means "to hinder," "to prevent," or "to restrain." It implies active opposition or resistance. Peter uses it to challenge any lingering Jewish reluctance or traditional prohibition against Gentile inclusion in a fundamental Christian rite. This verb suggests an existing societal expectation that might normally prevent such an act.
• water: (ὕδωρ, hydōr) - Refers directly to the physical element necessary for the rite of water baptism. The simple term underscores the direct, observable nature of this act.
• that these: (τούτοις, toutois) - Refers to Cornelius, his relatives, and close friends who were present. They represent the first major group of uncircumcised Gentiles to clearly receive the Holy Spirit and subsequent baptism, symbolizing God's full acceptance of Gentile believers into the Christian community without ethnic distinction.
• should not be baptized: (βαπτισθῆναι, baptisthēnai) - "To be immersed" or "to be submerged." This is the core Christian ordinance of water baptism, symbolizing identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, as well as the washing away of sins and new life in Christ. The passive voice ("should be baptized") indicates that they are the recipients of the action. The verb emphasizes the formal recognition and public demonstration of their new faith and God's work in them.
• which have received: (ἔλαβον, elabon) - A direct, indicative verb in the aorist tense, signifying a completed action: "they did receive" or "they have received." It is an undeniable, empirical fact, witnessed by Peter and others. This establishes the divine priority – the Holy Spirit was given first.
• the Holy Ghost: (τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, to Pneuma to Hagion) - The Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity. His manifest outpouring, evidenced by speaking in tongues and praising God, was God's seal of approval. The Spirit's prior reception by Gentiles, traditionally only expected for Jews and sometimes after baptism, dramatically inverted the usual sequence and served as irrefutable evidence of their divine acceptance.
• as well as we: (ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς, hōs kai hēmeis) - This phrase is profoundly significant. Peter draws a direct parallel between the Gentile experience at Cornelius's house and the Jewish believers' experience at Pentecost (Acts 2). It powerfully conveys the equality of Spirit reception, validating the Gentiles' standing before God and dissolving any ethnic or ceremonial barriers to their full participation in the church.

Words-group analysis:

• "Can any man forbid water... which have received the Holy Ghost": This whole phrase creates a powerful theological argument. Peter is essentially stating that God has already clearly shown His acceptance of these Gentiles by granting them His Holy Spirit. If God has poured out His Spirit, who are mere humans to prevent them from undergoing the ritual symbol (water baptism) that testifies to that spiritual reality? This prioritizes the Spirit's work over human traditions or ritualistic prerequisites for membership. It underscores the spiritual reality as the ultimate authority.
• "received the Holy Ghost as well as we": This direct comparison with the apostles' own Pentecost experience (Acts 2:1-4) is the linchpin of Peter's argument. It establishes an undeniable theological precedent. The immediate, manifest, and extraordinary indwelling of the Spirit confirms that these Gentiles are truly part of God's new people, irrespective of their former status or any Old Covenant prerequisites. This was revolutionary, demonstrating God's impartiality (Acts 10:34) and direct inclusion of Gentiles into the covenant community through Christ and the Spirit.

Acts 10 47 Bonus section

The event of Acts 10, encapsulated by verse 47, reveals the dynamic relationship between divine initiative and human response. The "speaking in tongues" by Cornelius's household (Acts 10:46) was critical, providing tangible, audible evidence that convinced the Jewish observers, and particularly Peter, that God had truly worked in these Gentiles. This was the same sign seen at Jewish Pentecost, making the "as well as we" comparison undeniable. The passage demonstrates a practical flexibility in the early church's understanding of spiritual experiences and outward ordinances. While Acts 2:38 typically places water baptism before the reception of the Spirit for salvation's ordinary process, here God intentionally reverses the order for a theological demonstration. This specific reversal highlighted God's power to transgress established religious barriers and prejudices, proving that His grace is extended to all people irrespective of their ethnic background or past ceremonial status, without needing prior adherence to Jewish law. This account showcases that human institutions or traditions can never "forbid" or restrict what God has already plainly chosen to give.

Acts 10 47 Commentary

Acts 10:47 is a crucial declaration in the theological development of the early church, acting as a divine validation for the inclusion of Gentiles without the burden of Mosaic law. Peter, previously hesitant due to his Jewish background, delivers this rhetorical question not as a suggestion but as an unassailable conclusion to the astonishing event he witnessed: the Holy Spirit's visible and audible descent upon Cornelius and his household. This mirrored the Pentecost experience (Acts 2), unequivocally proving God's universal salvation.

The significance lies in the sequence: the Holy Spirit's outpouring preceded water baptism. This sequence was not a prescriptive norm for all future conversions, but a unique, divinely orchestrated moment. Its purpose was to demonstrate beyond doubt, particularly to the Jewish believers, that God had equally accepted Gentiles. Water baptism, therefore, was not a prerequisite for receiving the Holy Spirit or for divine acceptance. Instead, it became the necessary response—an outward act of obedience, identification, and public declaration—following an undeniable inward spiritual reality granted by God. It marked their formal reception into the visible body of Christ. Peter's statement cuts through Jewish exclusivity, affirming God's impartiality and establishing the fundamental truth that God works according to His sovereign will, embracing all who believe and receive His Spirit.

This event laid the groundwork for future Gentile missions, validated Peter's later defense before the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:1-18), and greatly influenced the Jerusalem Council's decision (Acts 15), effectively resolving the "Gentile problem" that threatened to divide the early church. It illustrates that God often challenges existing paradigms to reveal a greater truth, inviting His people to align their practices with His inclusive purposes.