But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
What does Acts 1:8 mean?
They were earnest in asking about that which their Master never had directed or encouraged them to seek.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Acts 1:6-10 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power ... - Literally, as it is translated in the margin, "Ye shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you." This was said to them to console them. Though they could not know the times which God reserved in his own appointment, yet they should receive the promised Guide and Comforter. The word "power" here refers to the help or aid which the Holy Spirit would grant; the power of speaking with new tongues; of preaching the gospel with great effect; of enduring great trials, etc. See Mark 16:17-18 . The apostles had impatiently asked him if he was then about to restore the kingdom to Israel.
Key words
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power. See Mark 16:17-18 .
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But ye shall receive power,.
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But ye shall receive power,.
Context in Acts 1
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Acts 1 belongs to the opening movement of the book, especially the section often described as Jerusalem church. Acts traces the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the Gentile world through Peter, Paul, and the Spirit-led church. Read this chapter with the wider themes of Spirit, mission, and church in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Bible verses about suffering and trials
Key passages on grief, endurance, lament, divine mystery, and the Christian claim that suffering is neither final nor meaningless.
Passages on asking, persistence, confession, dependence, and the way prayer shapes Christian life and attention.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.