Acts 10:45
in Acts 10All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.
KJV
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
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This verse in Acts 10
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And they of the circumcision - Who had been Jews. Were astonished - Were amazed that Gentiles should be admitted to the same favor as themselves.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
When they had believed that by baptism there is altogether the remission of sins, then the Spirit descended upon them. This, however, happened by God's ordaining for the great defense of Peter. Nor did the Spirit come in a common way, but they also spoke …
Observe God's providential management. He does not suffer the speech to be finished, nor the baptism to take place upon a command of Peter, but, when He has made it evident how admirable their state of mind is, and a beginning is made of the work of teaching, and they have believed that assuredly baptism is the remission of sins, then forthwith comes the Spirit upon them. Now this is done by God's so disposing it as to provide for Peter a mighty ground of justification. And it is not simply that the Spirit came upon them, but, "they spake with tongues:" which was the thing that astonished those who had come together.
The Medieval Church2 voices
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. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues, etc. This is similar to that statement by the …
Moreover, they began to speak in various tongues, which amazed those gathered. Meanwhile, God was arranging in advance a great defense for Peter in this matter.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is not unlikely that some Gentiles might before now have stepped into a synagogue of the Jews, and heard the gospel preached; but the gospel was never yet designedly preached to the Gentiles, nor any of them baptized--Cornelius was the first; and here we have, I. An account given us of this Cornelius, who and what he was, who was the first-born of the Gentiles to Christ.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they of the circumcision which believed,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They of the circumcision - were astonished - Because it was a maxim with them that the Shechinah or Divine influence could not be revealed to any person who dwelt beyond the precincts of the promised land. Nor did any of them believe that the Divine Spirit could be communicated to any Gentile. It is no wonder, therefore, that they were amazed when they saw the Spirit of God so liberally given as it was on this occasion.
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
Charlie ShampSpeaking in Tongues: The Definitive Evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (2024)
This passage is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates that the experience of speaking in tongues is not limited to the Jewish believers of Pentecost but extends to Gentiles as well.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξέστησαν | exestesan | were amazed | G1839 → | 17 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| περιτομῆς | peritomes | [the] circumcision | G4061 → | 36 times |
| πιστοὶ | pistoi | believers | G4103 → | 67 times |
| ὅσοι | hosoi | as many as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| συνῆλθαν | sunelthan | had come with | G4905 → | 30 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Πέτρῳ, | petro | Peter, | G4074 → | 155 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| καὶ | kai | even | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθνη | ethne | Gentiles | G1484 → | 161 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δωρεὰ | dorea | gift | G1431 → | 11 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁγίου | hagiou | Holy | G40 → | 220 times |
| πνεύματος | pneumatos | Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| ἐκκέχυται· | ekkechutai | has been poured out; | G1632 → | 27 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξέστησανwere amazed
exestesanG1839 →17 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
περιτομῆς[the] circumcision
peritomesG4061 →36 times
πιστοὶbelievers
pistoiG4103 →67 times
ὅσοιas many as
hosoiG3745 →110 times
συνῆλθανhad come with
sunelthanG4905 →30 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
Πέτρῳ,Peter,
petroG4074 →155 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
καὶeven
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἔθνηGentiles
ethneG1484 →161 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
δωρεὰgift
doreaG1431 →11 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἁγίουHoly
hagiouG40 →220 times
πνεύματοςSpirit
pneumatosG4151 →378 times
ἐκκέχυται·has been poured out;
ekkechutaiG1632 →27 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
it leads to
- Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
- Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
- Acts 8:12
But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
- Luke 24:47
and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
- Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,
- Acts 22:16
Through
Ephesians 2:11Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)—
it leads to
- Colossians 2:11
In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.
- Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
- Colossians 3:11
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- Colossians 2:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies7
About Acts

This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Retractions on Acts; Charlie Shamp, Speaking in Tongues: The Definitive Evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 24; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
