Acts 8:6 kjv
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
Acts 8:6 nkjv
And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
Acts 8:6 niv
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.
Acts 8:6 esv
And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.
Acts 8:6 nlt
Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.
Acts 8 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 8:5 | Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ to them. | Contextual preceding verse |
| Mark 16:20 | They went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them. | Divine empowerment |
| 1 Cor 2:4 | My message and my preaching were not with wise eloquent words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power. | Supernatural confirmation |
| 1 Thess 1:5 | For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit. | Impact of preaching |
| John 14:10-11 | Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? ...Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe because of the miracles I have seen. | Jesus' work through believers |
| John 10:38 | but if I do them, then believe me, even if you do not believe me, believe the works. | Faith in works |
| Acts 4:16 | "What shall we do with these men?" they asked. "For they have performed a notable miracle, and not even the apostles deny it." | Miracles validating message |
| Acts 19:11-12 | God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul. | Special miracles |
| Heb 2:4 | God also testified to it by signs and wonders and by various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. | God's attestation |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. | Power source |
| 2 Cor 12:12 | The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance. | Apostolic signs |
| John 3:2 | Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." | Divine attestation (specific) |
| Ps 107:2 | Let the redeemed of the LORD say so—those he redeemed from the hand of the enemy. | Redemption proclaimed |
| Luke 10:9 | Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' | Ministry task |
| Mark 1:15 | "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" | Core message |
| Acts 2:41 | Those who accepted his message were baptized. | Response to message |
| Acts 13:48 | When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who had been appointed for eternal life believed. | Gentile belief |
| John 6:44 | No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. | Divine drawing |
| Ps 86:9 | All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. | Future worship |
| Eph 2:8-9 | For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. | Salvation by grace |
| Romans 10:17 | Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. | Faith's origin |
Acts 8 verses
Acts 8 6 Meaning
The actions of Philip the evangelist, empowered by God, caused the crowds in Samaria to pay attention to his message, observe the signs he performed, and listen to him. This resulted in a unified and positive response to the Gospel.
Acts 8 6 Context
Following the stoning of Stephen and the subsequent persecution that scattered believers, Philip, one of the seven chosen deacons, went to the city of Samaria. He began preaching the Christ to them. This chapter details Philip's successful evangelistic mission in Samaria, a region that had a contentious historical and religious relationship with Judea. Despite these divisions, the Samaritans received the message of Christ positively, marked by unified attention, observation of signs, and attentive listening. This response was further confirmed by the Holy Spirit's active involvement through the ministry of Philip, evidenced by miraculous deeds.
Acts 8 6 Word Analysis
- And (Gk. kai): A conjunction used to connect clauses or words, indicating progression or addition.
- the (Gk. ta): Definite article.
- crowds (Gk. plēthos): A great number, a multitude. Emphasizes the size of the audience.
- of (Gk. tōn): Possessive/genitive case particle.
- Samaria (Gk. Samarias): The city and region of Samaria, a mixed population.
- were (Gk. ēsan): Past tense of the verb "to be."
- giving (Gk. proseichon): From prosechō. To pay attention to, attend to, heed. Implies focused mental engagement.
- heed (Gk. prosechōn): The same verb, prosechō, here translated "giving heed." It emphasizes a deliberate and sustained focus.
- to (Gk. tois): Preposition, indicating direction or attention.
- the (Gk. tois): Definite article.
- things (Gk. legomenois): Things spoken, utterances, sayings. Refers to Philip's preaching.
- which (Gk. auta): Pronoun referring back to "things."
- Philip (Gk. Philippos): The name of the evangelist.
- said (Gk. elalei): From laleō, to speak, talk, say. Past imperfect tense, suggesting continuous speaking.
- both (Gk. te): Correlative conjunction often paired with kai.
- to (Gk. tois): Preposition.
- see (Gk. horōsin): From horaō, to see, behold, perceive. Present subjunctive, indicating purpose or result of paying heed.
- the (Gk. to): Definite article.
- signs (Gk. semeiois): From semeion, a sign, miracle, token. Demonstrations of divine power.
- which (Gk. apo): Preposition, "from" or "by."
- he (Gk. autos): Pronoun, referring to Philip.
- did (Gk. poiei): From poieō, to do, make, perform. Present participle, implying continuous or ongoing action.
Group analysis:
- giving heed to the things which Philip said: This phrase highlights the people's focused auditory reception of Philip's message. Prosechō implies a conscious effort to listen and understand, not just hearing passively.
- seeing the signs which he did: This connects the miraculous signs directly to the audience's perception. The use of the participle poiei suggests these were evident actions, accompanying his speech.
- both...and: This grammatical structure in the original indicates that the crowd's positive response was a dual one: they attended to the spoken word and also to the miraculous evidence supporting that word.
Acts 8 6 Bonus Section
The Samaritans’ positive response is significant given their historical alienation from Jewish society and their distinct religious practices, which the Jews viewed with suspicion (John 4:9). Philip’s successful evangelism there underscores the universality of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit's ability to bridge cultural and religious divides. The active demonstration of divine power in the form of "signs" served to validate Philip's message, akin to how Jesus' own ministry was authenticated by His miracles, drawing attention and prompting belief even from those who witnessed His works but perhaps not fully comprehended His identity initially (John 10:38). The entire episode highlights the biblical pattern of effective evangelism, which combines faithful proclamation with supernatural attestation by the Holy Spirit, leading to attentive hearing and receptive hearts.
Acts 8 6 Commentary
Philip's ministry in Samaria was exceptionally effective, not merely through eloquent speech, but by the evident power of God. The crowds were drawn in, paying close attention (proseichon) to Philip's preaching – his proclamation of Christ. This auditory attention was powerfully reinforced by their physical perception (horōsin) of the miraculous signs (semeiois) he performed. The phrase "doing" or "performing" the signs (poiei) indicates these were active, visible demonstrations of divine power, not subtle or hidden occurrences. The synergy between the preached word and demonstrated miracles created a receptive atmosphere where the Gospel could take root. This illustrates a model where supernatural confirmation authenticates the Gospel message, leading to widespread positive reception.