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Acts 8:16

by Don Costello  
7/04/2008 / Bible Studies

Acts 8:16

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

1. "(For as yet he saw fallen upon none of them"

1). fallen upon [1968 * epipto] [Zodhiates: In Acts 8:18, metaphorically, to fall upon, to come upon or over someone, spoken of the Spirit, meaning to descend upon someone. It is also used in that same sense in Acts 10:44 and 11:15.

a. Acts 8:16 [Amplified Bible] "For He had not yet fallen upon any of them"

b. [NASB] "For He had not yet fallen upon any of them"

c. [NIV] "because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them"

d. [NRSV] "(for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them"

3. "only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).

a. As Scripture clearly shows in Acts 8:15, these individuals were believers, they had received the Word of God and were baptized. They were saved. Yet, they had not received the Holy Ghost.

1). Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved"

b. Are there other witnesses in Scripture that back up this position? I believe there is. The following is a passage in Romans in two different translations.

1). Romans 8:9-11 (KJV) "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

a). Romans 6:11 "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

2). Romans 8:9-11 (NASB) "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him
And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

3). Regardless of the translation, I can't help but see a distinction in this passage between those who have Christ in them and those who have Christ in them and are also indwelt by the Holy Ghost. This goes right along with the passage in Acts 8 that shows the people who Phillip preached to, received the word of God, received Christ, were baptized and yet were not filled with the Holy Ghost.

My name is Don Costello. Ever since I received Christ in November of 1976 I have had a passion to study and know God's word.My wife Melissa and I have 5 children.

My e-mail address is [email protected]

I have a blog located at:
www.theophilus-loverofgodsword.blogspot.com/

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