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Acts 1:8

in Acts 1

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

KJV

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 Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

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This verse in Acts 1

Commentary

22 notes on this verse

A commentator

Ambrose of Milan

On the Holy Spirit 1.7.81-82 · Written before 397.

And so, when the Lord appointed his servants the apostles, that we might recognize that the creature was one thing and the grace of the Spirit another, he appointed them to different places, because all could not be everywhere at once. But he gave the Holy Spirit to all, to shed upon the apostles though separated the gift of indivisible grace.

This site's exposition

But you will receive power

Jesus promises that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and the verse gives the book its outline. Jerusalem fills chapters 1 to 7, all Judea and Samaria chapters 8 to 12, and the ends of the earth chapters 13 to 28.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Eusebius of Caesarea

Commentary (church-history corpus) · Written before 339.

proposed

you shall be witnesses for me: that is, of His death and resurrection.

A commentator

Tertullian

On Baptism, Chapter 19 · Written before 220.

proposed

The Passover affords a more than usually solemn day for baptism; when, withal, the Lord's passion, in which we are baptized, was completed. Nor will it be incongruous to interpret figuratively the fact that, when the Lord was about to celebrate the last Passover, He said to the disciples who were sent to make preparation, "You will meet a man bearing water." He points out the place for celebrating the Passover by the sign of water. After that, Pentecost is a most joyous space for conferring baptisms; wherein, too, the resurrection of the Lord was repeatedly proved among the disciples [Acts 1:3], and the hope of the advent of the Lord indirectly pointed to, in that, at that time, when He had been received back into the heavens [Acts 1:9], the angels told the apostles that "He would so come, as He had withal ascended into the heavens;" [Acts 1:11] at Pentecost, of course. But, moreover, when Jeremiah says, "And I will gather them together from the extremities of the land in the feast-day," he signifies the day of the Passover and of Pentecost, which is properly a "feast-day." However, every day is the Lord's; every hour, every time, is apt for baptism: if there is a difference in the solemnity, distinction there is none in the grace.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on John 86 · Written before 407.

proposed

Wherefore He saith, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea." And witnesses they became by means of miracles, for unspeakable is the grace of the Spirit and multiform the gift. But this comes to pass, that thou mayest learn that the gift and the power of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, is One. For things which appear to be peculiar to the Father, these are seen also to belong to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. "How then," saith some one, "doth none come to the Son, `except the Father draw him'?" Why, this very thing is shown to belong to the Son also. "I," He saith, "am the Way: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." And observe that it belongeth to the Spirit also; for "No man can call Jesus Christ Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Again, we see that the Apostles were given to the Church at one time by the Father, at another by the Son, at another by the Holy Ghost, and that the "diversities of gifts" belong to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 2 · Written before 407.

proposed

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." As in the former instance He had not answered their question (for it is the part of a teacher to teach not what the disciple chooses, but what is expedient for him to learn), so in this, He tells them beforehand, for this reason, what they ought to know, that they may not be troubled. In truth, they were yet weak. But to inspire them with confidence, He raised up their souls, and concealed what was grievous. Since he was about to leave them very shortly, therefore in this discourse He says nothing painful. But how? He extols as great the things which would be painful: all but saying, "Fear not: for 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 Judea, and in Samaria." For since he had said, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not" (Matt. x. 5), what there He left unsaid, He here adds "And to the uttermost part of the earth;" and having spoken this, which was more fearful than all the rest, then that they may not again question Him, He held His peace.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 2 · Written before 407.

proposed

"Ye shall receive power," says He, "when the Holy Ghost is come upon you." "Is come upon you," not, "is sent," to show the Spirit's coequal Majesty. "And ye shall be witnesses to Me." He hinted at the Ascension.
15 more voices on this verse

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

Since before this he commanded: Do not go on the way of the Gentiles (Matt. 10:5), and the following things: for he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel; now with these, the preaching is shared also with the Samaritans and the other …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Acts · Written before 735.

proposed

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, etc. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, he says, it will not bring the kingdom of Israel, or the kingdom of God in …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

Why then did Christ not answer what the disciples were asking, but said: "you shall receive power"? In answer to them He said: "it is not for you to know," and only then added: "but you shall receive power." These words explain in a certain …

The Reformation1 voice

A commentator

Erasmus of Rotterdam

Commentary (church-history corpus) · Written before 1536.

proposed

Until now, the Law has held sway among the Jews. It is the Father's will that the reign of the Gospel extend as widely as the world extends.

The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

But ye shall receive power - and shall be witnesses to me - That is, ye shall be empowered to witness my Gospel, both by your preaching and suffering.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

) that you shall receive a spiritual power, by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon you, and shall not receive it in vain, for you shall be witnesses unto me and my glory; and your testimony shall not be in vain, for it shall be received here in Jerusalem, in the country about, and all the world over,"

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes

But ye shall receive power,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

With a general idea of the embryo of the Christian church, and its state from Christ's ascension to the pouring out of the Spirit,

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

If Christ make us serviceable to his honour in our own day and generation, let this be enough for us, and let not us perplex ourselves about times and seasons to come. Christ here tells them, 1. That their work should be honourable and glorious: You shall be witnesses unto me.

The Nineteenth Century5 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

But ye shall receive power - Ληψεσθε δυναμιν. Translating different terms of the original by the same English word is a source of misapprehension and error. We must not understand δυναμις which we translate power in this verse, as we do εξουσια, translated by the same word in the preceding verse.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?--Doubtless their carnal views of Messiah's kingdom had by this time been modified, though how far it is impossible to say. But, as they plainly looked for some restoration of the kingdom to Israel, so they are neither rebuked nor contradicted on this point.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

THESE are among the last words of our Lord. We greatly prize the last words of good men. Let us set high store by these words of our ascending Lord. It is very curious to my mind that Jesus should make mention of John the Baptist and of John's Baptism in these last words. Read the fifth verse—"John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence." It is very usual for good men's memories, in their last hours, to go back to their first hours.
THESE are among the last words of our Lord. We greatly prize the last words of good men. Let us set high store by these words of our ascending Lord. It is very curious to my mind that Jesus should make mention of John the Baptist and of John's Baptism in these last words. Read the fifth verse—"John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence." It is very usual for good men's memories, in their last hours, to go back to their first hours. I trust that some of us will think of our Baptism even when we are dying— High Heaven, that heard the solemn vow, That vow renewed shall daily hear— Till in life's latest hour I bow, And bless in death a bond so dear." Our Lord began in such a way that He could afford to look back on His beginning. Some do not commence so— their beginning is so undecided, so imperfect, so hesitating, that they may well wish to have it forgotten. But our Lord, at the close of His sojourn on earth, thinks of John the Baptist and pays him a dying word of respect just before He is taken up into Glory. I like to notice that interesting fact. But, now, to come more to the text, a question was put to our Lord. Many questions were asked of Him by His disciples, some of them not very wise ones. We are very glad that they asked them, for they have extracted from the Savior a great amount of instruction and, although this question about restoring the Kingdom to Israel may have been a mistaken one, and they may have meant a more material and carnal kingdom than our Savior intended to establish (of that I am not sure), yet the question brought to us a reply which we may well store up in our memories and hearts—"It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in His own power.
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 Mar 16:17-18. The apostles had impatiently asked him if he was then about to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus by this answer rebuked their impatience, taught them to repress their ill-timed ardor; and assured them again of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Ye shall be witnesses - For this purpose they were appointed; and to prepare them for this they had been with him for more that three years. They had seen his manner of life, his miracles, his meekness, his sufferings; they had listened to his instructions, and had conversed and eaten with him as a friend; they had seen him after he was risen, and were about to see him ascend to heaven; and they were thus qualified to bear witness to these things in all parts of the earth. Their number was so great that it could not be pretended that they were deceived; they had been so intimate with him and his plans that they were qualified to state what his doctrines and purposes were; and there was no motive but conviction of the truth that could induce them to make the sacrifices which they would be required to make in communicating these things to the world. In every respect, therefore, they were qualified to be impartial and competent witnesses. The original word here is μάρτυρες martures, martyrs. From this word the name martyrs has been given to those who suffered in times of persecution. […]

Modern Voices1 voice

Just imagine, your head becomes a landing strip for the fire of the Holy Spirit. He lands and abides–never to take off again.

The words behind it

28 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.

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

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Timothy 1:7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.139 worksMatthew 28:19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,138 worksMark 16:15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.127 worksRomans 15:19by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.111 worksActs 4:33With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.98 worksActs 5:32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”90 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Acts 6:8Now Stephen, who was full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.79 worksLuke 24:46–49And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,77 worksActs 2:1–4When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.64 worksActs 10:38–41how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.64 worksRomans 10:18But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”55 worksJohn 15:27And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.52 worksLuke 10:19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.51 worksActs 1:5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”47 worksMatthew 24:14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.43 worksActs 2:32God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.41 worksZechariah 4:6So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.41 worksActs 8:5–25Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.40 works

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

    Matthew 28:19

    Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

    it leads to

    • Mark 16:15–16

      And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

    • Luke 24:47–48

      and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Acts 2:38–39

      Peter 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.

    • Acts 19:3–5

      “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.

    • Isaiah 49:6

      He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light…

  • Through

    Mark 16:15

    And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 28:19

      Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

    • Mark 13:10

      And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations.

    • Psalms 96:3

      Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all peoples.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Ascension — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
The Ascension — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 1 →
This page draws on 19 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, On the Holy Spirit 1.7.81-82; Bede, On the Acts of the Apostles; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2330: “Witnessing Better Than Knowing the Future” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Erasmus of Rotterdam, Commentary (church-history corpus); Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary (church-history corpus); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on John 86; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Reinhard Bonnke, Holy Spirit: Are We Flammable or Fireproof? (7-day study, YouVersion); Tertullian, On Baptism, Chapter 19 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.

Read on in Acts 1 →