Acts 1:8 in Context
Acts 1:8 read in its full chapter context. See the verses before and after, plus historical setting and flow of thought.
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
— Acts 1:8 (KJV)
Where This Verse Sits
Acts 1:8 appears in Acts chapter 1, verse 8. Jesus spoke these words on the Mount of Olives just before His ascension, around AD 33. The disciples had asked if He would now restore Israel's political kingdom. Jesus redirected them from political power to spiritual power—the Holy Spirit—and from a nationalistic kingdom to a worldwide mission. The geographic progression (Jerusalem → Judea → Samaria → ends of the earth) became the outline for the book of Acts.
The Verse Itself
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
— Acts 1:8 (KJV)
Flow of the Passage
To grasp Acts 1:8 fully, read it inside the surrounding paragraph. The verses before set up the argument, and the verses after show its outworking. Acts 1 as a whole carries forward the theme of mission, and this single verse is one beat in that larger movement.
Jesus promised His disciples power through the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. The mission expands from local (Jerusalem) to global (uttermost part of the earth).
Cross-References
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