Acts 8:17 Meaning and Explanation
“Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The apostles lay their hands on them, and they receive the Holy Ghost.
What Does Acts 8:17 Mean?
What was asked in prayer (verse 15) is now given. Peter and John lay their hands on the baptized believers of Samaria, and they receive the Holy Ghost — the gift poured out at Jerusalem now resting on a people Jerusalem once shunned.
There is a deliberate tenderness in the manner: hands laid on each believer, one by one. The gift comes from God, and it comes through blessing, touch, and welcome rather than by announcement from a distance. Each person is known, prayed over, and filled — receiving at once the Holy Ghost and the unmistakable assurance of fully belonging to the people of God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 8:17
What does Acts 8:17 mean?
The apostles lay their hands on them, and they receive the Holy Ghost.