Acts 8:17

Acts 8:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Context of Acts 8:17

15When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 8:17 word by word

τότε ἐπετίθεσαν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς, καὶ ἐλάμβανον πνεῦμα ἅγιον.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• laid theyἐπιτίθημιepitithēmi · to put/lay onG2007
• handsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• they receivedλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40

Cross-references for Acts 8:17

• Acts 8:18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money
• Acts 6:6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
• Acts 9:17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
• Acts 13:3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
• Acts 19:6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
• Numbers 8:10You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.
• Numbers 27:18So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him.
• 1 Timothy 4:14Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
• 1 Timothy 5:22Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
• 2 Timothy 1:6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
• Hebrews 6:2instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
• Romans 1:11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
• Galatians 3:2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

Commentaries on Acts 8:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Then laid they their hands on them - Probably only on some select persons, who were thought proper for public use in the Church. They did not lay hands on all; for certainly no hands in this way were laid on Simon.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Then laid they their hands … - This was an act of “prayer,” expressing an invocation to God that he would impart the blessing to “them.” On “how many” they laid their hands is not said. It is evident that it was not on “all,” for they did not thus lay hands on Simon. Perhaps it was done on a few of the more prominent and leading persons, who were to be employed particularly in bearing witness to the truth of the gospel. It was customary to lay the hands…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-25Verses 14-25 The Holy Ghost was as yet fallen upon none of these coverts, in the extraordinary powers conveyed by the descent of the Spirit upon the day of Pentecost. We may take encouragement from this example, in praying to God to give the renewing graces of the Holy Ghost to all for whose spiritual welfare we are concerned; for that includes all blessings. No man can give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of his hands; but we should use our best…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17When the apostles sent two of their own representatives to Samaria, it was an important step in overcoming prejudice (compare Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:52–54; John 4:9; 8:48). It was even more remarkable that Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans who trusted in Christ to receive the Holy Spirit. This event is similar to the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem and marks how the Holy Spirit's power spread from Judea to Samaria (Acts 2:1–47; 1:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1714-17. the apostles ... sent Peter and John--showing that they regarded Peter as no more than their own equal.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 8:17

• Baptism
• Holy Spirit
• John
• Miracles
• Peter
• Samaria

In the dictionaries

• Holy Ghost
• Believe
• Bitterness
• Consent
• Devout
• Gifts, spiritual
• Havock
• Join
• Magic
• Peter

Commentaries on Acts 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings