Acts 1:8 Text
King James Version (KJV)
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 Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
World English Bible (WEB)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
What Acts 1:8 Means
These are the last recorded words of Jesus before he ascends. He promises that the disciples will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them, and that this power is for a purpose: to be his witnesses. A witness is someone who reports what they have seen and heard, not someone who wins arguments. He then gives a map: Jerusalem, all of Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth. This moves outward from the familiar city to neighboring regions and then to every people, and the book of Acts follows that same path. The phrase 'uttermost part of the earth' in both KJV and WEB means the farthest reaches. The verse is therefore less a general promise of personal strength than a commission, with the Spirit supplying what is needed to carry it out.
Context of Acts 1:8
Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke, and was probably written in the first century as a second volume describing the early church. The verse comes right after the risen Jesus tells his followers to wait in Jerusalem, and just before he is taken up into a cloud. Chapter 2 then describes the Holy Spirit arriving at Pentecost, and the first witnesses begin to speak. To read the whole book, see random verse from Acts.
How to Apply Acts 1:8
Witnessing starts in the places you already live and work, not on a distant stage. You might ask who around you, a neighbor, family member, or colleague, could use a kind word or an open account of what Jesus has done in your life. You are asked to tell what you know, not to be a perfect expert.
Related Verses
- Matthew 28:19 – Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
- Luke 24:49 – And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
- Acts 2:4 – And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
- Isaiah 49:6 – And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Courage, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'ye shall be witnesses unto me' mean?
It means Jesus' followers are to tell others what they know of him, by their words and lives. A witness reports what they have experienced, which is why it does not require being a perfect expert.
What are Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth in Acts 1:8?
They describe the outward spread of the message: first the home city, then the surrounding region, then neighboring Samaria, and finally all nations. The book of Acts follows this pattern as the gospel reaches Rome.
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