Devine Scripture

Acts 15:8

What does Acts 15:8 mean?

A plain-English look at Acts 15:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Acts 15:8 means

Peter emphasizes that God, who knows hearts, bore witness to the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit just as to Jewish believers. The decisive factor is God’s internal judgment, not human external marks. The Spirit’s gift authenticated their faith as genuine, apart from circumcision or law observance. This equal outpouring shows there is one family of God defined by the Spirit’s indwelling, not by ethnicity or ritual. If God publicly affirmed Gentiles as his own, the church must not deny that affirmation by adding prerequisites God did not require. The Spirit’s work is the seal of the new covenant blessings promised through Christ.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the heart-knowing God did bare them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And God, who knoweth the hearts, gave testimony, giving unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as to us:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the heart-knowingGod bore them witness, giving [them] the Holy Spirit as to us also,

Context

This follows Peter’s reminder of God’s earlier choice. The focus now narrows to the Spirit’s testimony as the key proof of Gentile inclusion. With that in view, Peter will draw the theological conclusion: no distinction and cleansing by faith, not by law. The next verse articulates that equality explicitly, forming the basis for rejecting the imposition of the Mosaic yoke in verse 10.

v.7And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

v.8This passage

v.9and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Psalms 139:1

    O Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and knownme.

  • 1 Kings 8:39

    then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

  • Acts 14:3

    Long time therefore they tarried there speaking boldly in the Lord, who bare witness unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:17

    I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, that are present here, offer willingly unto thee.

  • John 2:24

    But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men,

  • Acts 10:47

    Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?

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