Acts 9:31 Meaning and Explanation
“Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A season of peace settles over the churches in Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria; built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they multiply.
What Does Acts 9:31 Mean?
Luke pauses for one of his landmark summaries. With the chief persecutor converted, the storm abates, and for the first time Acts surveys congregations across all three regions of the land — Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria, lately divided, now joined in one faith and one peace.
The portrait of a healthy church has four marks here: rest, building up, the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit — reverence and consolation walking together, awe that does not crush and comfort that does not soften into ease. Growth comes last, as fruit rather than project. Quiet seasons are not wasted; they are when God builds.
Acts 9:31 in the Original Language
oikodomeo (οἰκοδομέω), 'edify' -- to build up, as a house rises course by course.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 9:31
What does Acts 9:31 mean?
A season of peace settles over the churches in Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria; built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they multiply.