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Acts 10:46

in Acts 10

For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

KJV

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

This verse in Acts 10

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Severus of Antioch

CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.44 · Written before 538.

At the beginning of the preaching, when the apostles announced the gospel, those who received holy baptism both spoke with tongues and prophesied in order to prove that they had received the Holy Spirit. When unbelief was at its climax, then, as was necessary, the …

This site's exposition

the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word

on Acts 10:44-46

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word, the gift arriving before baptism and before Peter has even finished his sentence, removing any doubt about whether these Gentiles first needed to become Jewish proselytes. The circumcision believers who came with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out on the Gentiles also, their astonishment itself Luke's evidence that nothing about this outcome had been staged or expected. They heard them speak with tongues and magnify God, the same sign that marked Pentecost and will mark Ephesus later in the book, the Spirit bearing the same witness to Gentile believers that he bore at Jerusalem, a pattern the church receives as his continuing work, and the text's own purpose here is proof to the Jewish witnesses rather than a template asserted for every future conversion.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For they heard them speak with tongues,.... With divers tongues, which they had never learned, and before did not understand: and magnify God; they spoke of the wonderful works of God in these languages, as the apostles did at Pentecost, Act 2:11 they spoke greatly in the praise of God, and gave thanks for his rich grace and mercy bestowed on them: then answered Peter; as follows.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

on Acts 10:44-48

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.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

And magnify God - They had got new hearts as well as new tongues; and, having believed with the heart unto righteousness, their tongues made confession unto salvation; and God was magnified for the mercy which he had imparted.
Modern Voices1 voice

on Acts 10:44-46

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

12 Greek words

Every 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.

  • ἤκουονThey were hearing

    ekouonG191425 times

  • γὰρfor

    garG10631039 times

  • αὐτῶνwhen they

    autonG8465565 times

  • λαλούντωνare speaking

    lalountonG2980294 times

  • γλώσσαιςin tongues

    glossaisG110049 times

  • καὶand

    kaiG25329120 times

  • μεγαλυνόντωνmagnifying

    megalunontonG31708 times

  • τὸν<the>

    tonG358819766 times

  • θεόν.God.

    theonG23161312 times

  • τότεThen

    toteG5119160 times

  • ἀπεκρίθηanswered

    apekritheG611231 times

  • Πέτρος·Peter;

    petrosG4074155 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 2:4

    And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

    it leads to

    • Mark 16:17

      And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 1 Corinthians 12:10

      to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Acts 13:52

      And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

  • Through

    Mark 16:17

    And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

    it leads to

    • Acts 5:16

      Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

    • 1 Corinthians 12:28

      And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

    • Acts 8:7

      With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.

    • Luke 10:17

      The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”

    • John 14:12

      Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Ascension — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
The Ascension — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Charlie Shamp, Speaking in Tongues: The Definitive Evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Severus of Antioch, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.44.