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.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then they laid their 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

15who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay 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 8:18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
• Acts 6:6whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
• Acts 9:17And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
• Acts 13:3Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
• Acts 19:6And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
• Numbers 8:10So you shall bring the Levites before the Lord, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites;
• Numbers 27:18And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;
• 1 Timothy 4:14Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
• 1 Timothy 5:22Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.
• 2 Timothy 1:6Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
• Hebrews 6:2of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
• Romans 1:11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—
• Galatians 3:2This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

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