Acts 1:5

5 For John baptized with^[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:5 in Other Translations

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

5 John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon."

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Acts 1:5 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 1:5

For John truly baptized with water
Or "in water", as he himself says, ( Matthew 3:11 ) John's baptism was water baptism, an immersion of persons in water: he was the first administrator of it, and therefore is here mentioned by name; and his, and the baptism of the Spirit, are opposed; for there were others, as the disciples of Christ, that baptized in water as well as John: and these words are not to be understood of the words of the Lord, by the mouth of John, which the disciples heard, for they were not then called when John spoke the words in ( Matthew 3:11 ) nor indeed are they the same with these; but these are the words of Christ himself, and which the apostles heard from his own mouth, as is clear from ( Acts 11:16 ) though they are not recorded by any of the evangelists; and these are not the only words which Luke repeats, that the evangelists are silent about; see ( Acts 20:35 )

but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost;
that is, by himself; for it is Christ's prerogative to baptize with the Spirit, as John foretold of him, and it designs such an extraordinary and plentiful donation of the gifts of the Spirit, as may be expressed by a baptism; in which the apostles, on the day of "Pentecost", were, as it were, to be immersed, and with them covered; as Cyril of Jerusalem ^F8 observes,

``as he, (o endunwn en toiv udasi) , "who is plunged in water, and baptized", is encompassed by the water on every side, so are they that are wholly baptized by the Spirit.''

Not many days hence;
within ten days, for this was on the fortieth day from his death, which was at the passover, these words were said; and on the fiftieth day from thence was the feast of Pentecost, when this had its fulfilment.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F8 Cateches. 17. sect. 8. p. 247.

Acts 1:5 In-Context

3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

5 For John baptized withwater, but in a few days you will be baptized withthe Holy Spirit.”

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

Cross References

• 1. S Mark 1:4
• 2. S Mark 1:8

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "in"
• [b]. Or "in"