Acts 8:16

16 (For he had not yet fallen on any of them, {but they had only been baptized} in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Acts 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 8:16

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them
They had received him as a spirit of illumination and sanctification, and as, a spirit of conversion and faith; they had been regenerated, enlightened, and sanctified by him; and were converted by him, and brought to believe in Christ, and live, by faith upon him; they were baptized believers, and no more; as yet, none of them had gifts qualifying them for the ministry; and still less could any of them speak with tongues, or prophesy, or work miracles; the Holy Ghost had not yet descended on them for such purposes:

only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus:
all as yet appeared in them was, that they were believers in Christ, and had been baptized in his name, upon a profession of their faith; and more than this they had been called to, or qualified for: the word "only", does not respect the form of baptism, as if they had been baptized only in the name of Christ; whereas they were doubtless baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; but refers to baptism itself, which was the only ordinance as yet administered to them.

Acts 8:16 In-Context

14 Now [when] the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 who went down [and] prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit.
16 (For he had not yet fallen on any of them, {but they had only been baptized} in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then they placed [their] hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now Simon, [when he] saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money,

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "but they were only having been baptized"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.