Acts 15 · Verse 8

Acts 15:8

And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Acts 15:8, King James Version

Acts 15:8 in other translations

BSBAnd God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
WEBGod, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us.
ASVAnd God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
YLTand the heart-knowing God did bare them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us,
DARBYAnd the heart-knowing God bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit as to us also,
BBEAnd God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us;
WebsterAnd God, who knoweth the hearts, bore them witness, giving to them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us:

What does Acts 15:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. God, which knoweth the hearts--implying that the real question for admission to full standing in the visible Church is the state of the heart. Hence, though that cannot be known by men, no principle of admission to church privileges which reverses this can be sound.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. And God, which knoweth the hearts, Acts 1:24. God thus knew whether they were true converts or not, and gave a demonstration that he acknowledged them as his.

Giving them the holy Ghost, etc. Acts 10:45,46.

(h) "which knoweth the hearts" Acts 1:24 (*) "witness" "Bore testimony to them" (+) "holy Ghost" "Spirit"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 And God which knoweth the hearts - Ο καρδιογνωϚης Θεος. We had this epithet of the Divine Being once before; see Act 1:24, and the note there: it occurs no where else in the New Testament. Bare them witness - Considered them as proper or fit to receive the Gospel of Christ. It is properly remarked by learned men, that μαρτυρειν τινι, to bear witness to any person, signifies to approve, to testify in behalf of. Here it signifies that, as God evidently sent the Gospel to the Gentiles, and, by the preaching of it, conveyed the Holy Spirit to them who believed, and as he can make no improper judgment of any who knows all hearts and their secrets, therefore what he had done was right: he saw that it was time for them to receive the Gospel; and he saw that they might be safely trusted with this heavenly deposit; and the experience of eighteen hundred years has justified the conduct of God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 15:7-21

We see from the words "purifying their hearts by faith," and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are the gift of God. We have great cause to bless God that we have heard the gospel. May we have that faith which the great Searcher of hearts approves, and attests by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and consciences…

Read the full comment on Acts 15:7-21 →

Acts 15:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ὁhotheG3588
καρδιογνώστηςkardiognōstēsheart-knowingG2589
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
ἐμαρτύρησενemarturēsenbore witnessG3140
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
δοὺςdoushaving givenG1325
τὸtotheG3588
πνεῦμαpneumaSpiritG4151
τὸto<the>G3588
ἅγιονhagionHolyG40
καθὼςkathōseven asG2531
καὶkaialsoG2532
ἡμῖν·hēminto us;G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 15:8

  • Acts 1:24

    And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

  • Acts 10:47

    Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

  • Hebrews 4:13

    Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

  • Acts 14:3

    Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

  • 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.

  • Acts 11:15-17

    And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

  • Acts 10:44-45

    While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

  • Jeremiah 20:12

    But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

  • Psalms 44:21

    Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

  • John 5:37

    And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

  • Revelation 2:23

    And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

  • 1 Kings 8:39

    Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
which.
1:24; 1Sa 16:7; 1Ki 8:39; 1Ch 28:9; 29:17; Ps 44:21; 139:1,2
Jer 11:20; 17:10; 20:12; Joh 2:24,25; 21:17; Heb 4:13; Re 2:23
bare.
14:3; Joh 5:37; Heb 2:4
giving.
2:4; 4:31; 10:44,45; 11:15-17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 15:7

    And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

  • Acts 15:8

    And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

  • Acts 15:9

    And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Read all of Acts 15

Acts 15:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Dios, que conoce los corazones, les dió testimonio, dándoles el Espíritu Santo también como á nosotros;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Dieu qui connaît les cœurs, leur a rendu témoignage, leur ayant donné l’Esprit Saint comme à nous-mêmes;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Gott, der Herzenskenner, gab ihnen Zeugnis, indem er ihnen den Heiligen Geist gab, gleichwie auch uns;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et qui novit corda Deus, testimonium perhibuit, dans illis Spiritum Sanctum, sicut et nobis,