Acts 8:16 kjv
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Acts 8:16 nkjv
For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8:16 niv
because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8:16 esv
for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8:16 nlt
The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 2:4 | They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. | Initial Outpouring |
| Acts 8:14 | Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. | Confirmation in Samaria |
| Acts 10:44 | While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the word. | Gentiles receive Spirit |
| Acts 19:2 | Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? They said, "No, we have not." | Disciples in Ephesus |
| John 3:5 | Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." | Baptism and Spirit |
| Romans 8:9 | You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. | Indwelling Spirit |
| 1 Cor 12:13 | For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. | Baptism uniting with Spirit |
| Gal 3:2 | Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? | Faith receives Spirit |
| Eph 4:4-6 | There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all... | Unity in Spirit |
| 1 Thess 4:8 | Consequently anyone who rejects this does not reject man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. | Spirit is a gift from God |
| Heb 6:2 | ...and of instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. | Foundational Doctrines |
| 1 John 3:24 | Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. By this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. | Spirit as evidence |
| Ps 51:11 | Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. | Old Testament experience |
| Isa 44:3 | For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring... | Prophecy of Spirit |
| Joel 2:29 | Even on my servants and handmaids in those days I will pour out my Spirit. | Prophecy of Spirit |
| Matt 3:11 | “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” | John the Baptist’s prophecy |
| Luke 24:49 | And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” | Jesus' command |
| John 7:39 | Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive. For as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. | Spirit not yet given |
| Acts 2:17-18 | And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. | Pentecostal prophecy |
| Acts 10:45 | And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. | Gentiles receive Spirit |
Acts 8 verses
Acts 8 16 Meaning
This verse states that the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them (the Samaritans). It emphasizes that they had merely been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. This indicates a distinct event for the reception of the Holy Spirit, separate from baptism, which was to follow and be confirmed through the apostles' laying on of hands.
Acts 8 16 Context
This verse occurs in Acts chapter 8, which details the spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem, particularly to Samaria. Philip, one of the seven deacons, is instrumental in evangelizing Samaria, leading many to believe in Jesus. However, when the apostles Peter and John arrive, they pray for the Samaritan believers that they might receive the Holy Spirit. This passage highlights a temporary distinction between water baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit, a pattern seen particularly in the early days of the church, serving to confirm the inclusion of Samaritans in the community of believers alongside Jews. The broader context is the expansion of the early church, transitioning from its Jewish roots to encompass Gentiles, with Samaritans serving as a crucial bridge group.
Acts 8 16 Word analysis
- οὔπω (oupō):
- Transliteration: oupō
- Meaning: not yet
- Analysis: This adverb emphasizes that the event of the Holy Spirit falling upon them had not yet occurred at the time Peter and John arrived. It suggests an expectation or a subsequent event.
- εἰς (eis):
- Transliteration: eis
- Meaning: into, to, upon
- Analysis: This preposition indicates the reception or descent of the Holy Spirit upon the believers.
- ἕκαστον (hekaston):
- Transliteration: hekaston
- Meaning: each one, every one
- Analysis: This pronoun underscores that the Holy Spirit had not been given to any individual Samaritan believer yet.
- αὐτῶν (autōn):
- Transliteration: autōn
- Meaning: of them
- Analysis: This possessive pronoun clearly identifies the group as the Samaritan believers previously mentioned.
- πεπτωκέναι (peptōkenai):
- Transliteration: peptōkenai
- Meaning: to have fallen (perfect infinitive)
- Analysis: The perfect infinitive suggests a completed action of falling, indicating that the gift of the Spirit had not yet been imparted as a settled reality to any of them. This verb is used metaphorically, suggesting a divine impartation or bestowal.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "οὔπω γὰρ ἦν ἐπὶ οὐδενὶ αὐτῶν ἐπιπεπτωκός" (oupō gar ēn epi oudenì autōn epipetopkōs): This phrase translates to "for it had not yet fallen upon any of them." The conjunction "gar" (for) connects this statement to the preceding description of their baptism, implying it as a reason or an additional piece of information. The structure highlights that despite the baptism they underwent, the full reception of the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by outward manifestations (like speaking in tongues, seen in Acts 2), was still outstanding. This signifies that the act of water baptism itself did not automatically guarantee the immediate indwelling or manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8 16 Bonus section
The case of the Samaritans here parallels, in some ways, the experience of the Ephesians disciples in Acts 19:1-6. They were baptized into John’s baptism and later needed to be rebaptized in Jesus’ name and receive the Holy Spirit. In both instances, the Holy Spirit’s reception is visibly linked to the ministry of the apostles. This provisional separation of baptism and Spirit reception in Samaria has been a point of discussion among theologians regarding the timing and sequence of these salvific events, with many seeing it as a demonstration to confirm the apostles' unique role in the foundational period of the church and the inclusive mission to both Jews and Samaritans.
Acts 8 16 Commentary
This verse, along with Acts 8:14-17, presents a unique case in the early church where the Samaritans were baptized in Jesus' name but did not immediately receive the Holy Spirit. This distinction emphasizes that the reception of the Holy Spirit was an essential part of salvation and Christian experience, not merely a secondary addition. It served as a confirmation that these Samaritans were truly accepted by God, and included in the universal church, even by the Jerusalem apostles, who might have viewed Samaritans with suspicion. Peter and John’s intervention, through prayer and laying on of hands, validated the Samaritan ministry and their reception of the Spirit, thus solidifying the church's expansion.