Acts 10:44
in Acts 10While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word.
KJV
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
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This verse in Acts 10
Commentary
14 notes on this verseWhile Peter yet spake - It in not very likely that the words recorded by St. Luke are all that the apostle spoke on this occasion; but, while he continued to discourse with them on this subject, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word; and his descent was known by their being enabled to speak with different kinds of tongues.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 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 …
Do you want to know that it is not just Jesus alone in his speaking who transmits the Holy Spirit to his hearers, but that everyone who speaks God's word in his name actually hands on the Spirit of God to those who listen? See then, how in the Acts of the Apostles, when Peter is speaking to Cornelius, Cornelius himself and those with him were filled with the Holy Spirit. Hence, if you speak God's word and do so faithfully with a pure conscience, it can come about that while you are speaking the fire of the Holy Spirit will inflame the hearts of your hearers and immediately make them warm and eager to carry out all you are teaching in order to implement what they have learned.
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.
He does not say that Peter was astonished, but, "They of the circumcision:" since he knew what was in preparation. And yet they ought to have marvelled at this, how they themselves had believed. When they heard that they had believed, they were not astonished, but when God gave them the Spirit.
Thereafter He prescribed to fasts a law-that they are to be performed "without sadness: " for why should what is salutary be sad? He taught likewise that fasts are to be the weapons for battling with the more direful demons: for what wonder if the same operation is the instrument of the iniquitous spirit's egress as of the Holy Spirit's ingress?
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. Then they asked him to stay with them for some days. Lest it be doubted that baptism should be given to the Gentiles, it was confirmed by the …
Notice God's economy. God did not allow Peter's speech to be brought to completion or for baptism to be performed by Peter's order; but as soon as He saw that their minds were filled with amazement and a beginning of instruction had been laid, and …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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.
While Peter yet spake these words,.... As he was thus discoursing concerning Christ, his person, his miracles, his death and resurrection, and the efficacy of his blood for pardon, before he had done speaking, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
THE BIBLE IS A BOOK of the Revelation of God. The God after whom the heathen blindly searched, and for whom reason gropes in darkness, is here plainly revealed to us in the pages of divine authorship, so that he who is willing to understand as much of Godhead as man can know, may here learn it if he be not willingly ignorant and wilfully obstinate. The doctrine of the Trinity is specially taught in Holy Scripture.
THE BIBLE IS A BOOK of the Revelation of God. The God after whom the heathen blindly searched, and for whom reason gropes in darkness, is here plainly revealed to us in the pages of divine authorship, so that he who is willing to understand as much of Godhead as man can know, may here learn it if he be not willingly ignorant and wilfully obstinate. The doctrine of the Trinity is specially taught in Holy Scripture. The word certainly does not occur, but the three divine persons of the One God are frequently and constantly mentioned, and Holy Scripture is exceedingly careful that we should all receive and believe that great truth of the Christian religion, that the Father is God, that the Son is God, that the Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God: though they be each of them very God of very God, yet three in one and one in three is the Jehovah whom we worship. You will notice in the works of Creation how carefully the Scriptures assure us that all the three divine persons took their share. “In the beginning Jehovah created the heavens and the earth;” and in another place we are told that God said “Let us make man”—not one person, but all three taking counsel with each other with regard to the making of mankind.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Holy Ghost fell ... - Endowing them with the power of speaking with other tongues, Act 10:46. Of this the apostle Peter makes much in his argument in Act 11:17. By this, God showed that the Gentiles were to be admitted to the same privileges with the Jews, and to the blessings of salvation in the same manner. Compare Act 2:1-4. Which heard the word - The Word of God; the message of the gospel.
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
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἔτι | eti | Still | G2089 → | 140 times |
| λαλοῦντος | lalountos | when is speaking | G2980 → | 294 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Πέτρου | petrou | Peter | G4074 → | 155 times |
| τὰ | ta | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ῥήματα | rhemata | declarations | G4487 → | 68 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἐπέπεσεν | epepesen | fell | G1968 → | 11 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 |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκούοντας | akouontas | hearing | G191 → | 425 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγον. | logon | word. | G3056 → | 329 times |
ἜτιStill
etiG2089 →140 times
λαλοῦντοςwhen is speaking
lalountosG2980 →294 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
ΠέτρουPeter
petrouG4074 →155 times
τὰ<the>
taG3588 →19766 times
ῥήματαdeclarations
rhemataG4487 →68 times
ταῦταthese
tautaG3778 →1381 times
ἐπέπεσενfell
epepesenG1968 →11 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πνεῦμαSpirit
pneumaG4151 →378 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ἅγιονHoly
hagionG40 →220 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →1235 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἀκούονταςhearing
akouontasG191 →425 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λόγον.word.
logonG3056 →329 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 4:31After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
it leads to
- Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
- Acts 2:2
Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
- Isaiah 65:24
Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Acts 16:25–26
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
- Acts 2:4
Through
Acts 19:6And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
it leads to
- Acts 6:6
They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
- 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 6:6
Through
Acts 11:15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
it leads to
- Acts 19:6
And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
- Acts 19:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
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About Acts
This page draws on 12 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, Commentary on Acts; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 201: “The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); 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; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ROMANS 6.13; Tertullian, On Fasting and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.