Acts 15:8
in Acts 15And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
KJV
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
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This verse in Acts 15
Commentary
9 notes on this verseAnd God which knoweth the hearts - Ο καρδιογνωϚης Θεος. We had this epithet of the Divine Being once before; see Act 1:24, and the note there: it occurs no where else in the New Testament. Bare them witness - Considered them as proper or fit to receive the Gospel of Christ. It is properly remarked by learned men, that μαρτυρειν τινι, to bear witness to any person, signifies to approve, to testify in behalf of.
This site's exposition
God made a choice among you
on Acts 15:7-9
After much discussion, Peter got up and pointed to the precedent of Cornelius's house in chapter 10, where God chose him so that the Gentiles would hear the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them before any council met. Peter says God made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith, naming faith alone as the ground of acceptance.
This site's exposition
God, who knows the heart
Peter's word for God as heart knower appears in the New Testament only here and at 1:24, where the apostles prayed before choosing Matthias. Men could doubt an uncircumcised believer. God, who sees the heart, gave His verdict by sending the Spirit.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And God, that knoweth the hearts, gave testimony unto them:" he refers them to the spiritual testimony: "by giving them the Holy Ghost even as unto us." Everywhere he puts the Gentiles upon a thorough equality. Then he shows that the testimony given them is not of grace merely, but of their virtue. "And God which knoweth the hearts bare them witness;" having afforded to them nothing less than to us, for, he says, "Put no difference between us and them." Why then, hearts are what one must everywhere look to. And it is very appositely said, "God that knoweth the hearts bare them witness:" as in the former instance, "Thou, Lord, that knowest the hearts of all men." For to show that this is the meaning, observe what he adds, "Put no difference between us and them."
The Medieval Church1 voice
He points them to the spiritual witness.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, The Lord knows those that are his, for he knows men's hearts; and we are as our hearts are. Those to whom God gives the Holy Ghost, he thereby bears witness to that they are his; hence we are said to be sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise-- marked for God.
And God which knoweth the hearts,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
God, which knoweth the hearts--implying that the real question for admission to full standing in the visible Church is the state of the heart. Hence, though that cannot be known by men, no principle of admission to church privileges which reverses this can be sound.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And God, which knoweth the hearts - Act 1:24. God thus knew whether they were true converts or not, and gave a demonstration that he acknowledged them as his. Giving them the Holy Ghost ... - Act 10:45-46.
The words behind it
14 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 |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδιογνώστης | kardiognostes | heart-knowing | G2589 → | |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐμαρτύρησεν | emarturesen | bore witness | G3140 → | 76 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | to them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| δοὺς | dous | having given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεῦμα | pneuma | Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἅγιον | hagion | Holy | G40 → | 220 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡμῖν· | hemin | to us; | G3165 → | 1936 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
καρδιογνώστηςheart-knowing
kardiognostesG2589 →
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ἐμαρτύρησενbore witness
emarturesenG3140 →76 times
αὐτοῖςto them
autoisG846 →5565 times
δοὺςhaving given
dousG1325 →412 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πνεῦμαSpirit
pneumaG4151 →378 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ἅγιονHoly
hagionG40 →220 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡμῖν·to us;
heminG3165 →1936 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
Hebrews 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 33:13–15
The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Through
Acts 2:4And 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;
- Acts 13:52
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 4:31
After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
- Mark 16:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
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); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 32; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.