Acts 5:32 Meaning and Explanation
“And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The apostles testify as eyewitnesses of these things, and the Holy Ghost, whom God gives to those who obey him, testifies with them.
What Does Acts 5:32 Mean?
In a court that weighed testimony, Peter names the witnesses: the apostles, who saw Jesus alive, and the Holy Ghost, whose power the whole city has been watching. The law required two witnesses to establish a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15), and both now stand in the room.
The Spirit is 'given to them that obey him': witness and obedience belong together (John 14:15-17). The apostles do not merely repeat facts; their Spirit-accompanied lives confirm them. So it remains: God joins his own testimony to the obedient, and a life yielded to him says what words alone cannot.
Acts 5:32 in the Original Language
martys (μάρτυς), 'witness' -- one who testifies to what he has seen and known; the root of the English word martyr.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 5:32
What does Acts 5:32 mean?
The apostles testify as eyewitnesses of these things, and the Holy Ghost, whom God gives to those who obey him, testifies with them.