Acts 19:2
New International Version
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

New Living Translation
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

English Standard Version
And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Berean Standard Bible
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Berean Literal Bible
he also said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit, having believed?" And they said to him, "But not even did we hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

King James Bible
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

New King James Version
he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

New American Standard Bible
He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.”

NASB 1995
He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

NASB 1977
and he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard if the Holy Spirit is being received.”

Amplified Bible
He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [in Jesus as the Christ]?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Christian Standard Bible
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? ” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"” No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."”

American Standard Version
and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given.

Contemporary English Version
He asked them, "When you put your faith in Jesus, were you given the Holy Spirit?" "No!" they answered. "We have never even heard of the Holy Spirit."

English Revised Version
and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Ghost was given.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They answered him, "No, we've never even heard of the Holy Spirit."

Good News Translation
and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" "We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit," they answered.

International Standard Version
and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

Majority Standard Bible
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

NET Bible
and said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

New Heart English Bible
He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They said to him, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

Webster's Bible Translation
He said to them, Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? And they said to him, We have not so much as heard whether there is any Holy Spirit.

Weymouth New Testament
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

World English Bible
He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
he said to them, “Having believed, did you receive the Holy Spirit?” And they said to him, “But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit”;

Berean Literal Bible
he also said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit, having believed?" And they said to him, "But not even did we hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

Young's Literal Translation
he said unto them, 'The Holy Spirit did ye receive -- having believed?' and they said unto him, 'But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit;'

Smith's Literal Translation
He said to them, Having believed, have ye received the Holy Spirit? And they said to him, But neither heard we if there be a Holy Spirit.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? But they said to him: We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to them, “After believing, have you received the Holy Spirit?” But they said to him, “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

New American Bible
He said to them, “Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a holy Spirit.”

New Revised Standard Version
He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Have you received the Holy Spirit since you were converted? They answered and said to him, We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Have you received The Spirit of Holiness since you have believed?” They answered, and were saying to him, “We have not even heard if there is a Spirit of Holiness.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
said to them: Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? They said to him: We have not only not received it, but we have not even heard whether the Holy Spirit is given.

Godbey New Testament
and said to them, Have you received the Holy Ghost, having believed? And they said to him, But we have not heard if the Holy Ghost is (given).

Haweis New Testament
said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not even heard if the Holy Ghost is given.

Mace New Testament
did you receive the holy spirit, when you made profession of your faith? they answer'd, we have not so much as heard of a holy spirit.

Weymouth New Testament
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

Worrell New Testament
and he said to them, "Did ye receive the Holy Spirit, after having believed?" And they said to him, "Nay, we did not even hear whether there is a Holy Spirit."

Worsley New Testament
and finding some disciples there, he said unto them, Have ye received the holy Spirit since ye embraced the faith? And they said unto him, Nay, we had not even heard whether the holy Spirit be yet given.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Holy Spirit Received at Ephesus
1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.…

Cross References
John 7:39
He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Acts 8:15-17
On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. / For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. / Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9
You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Galatians 3:2
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— / the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.

1 Corinthians 12:13
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

Ephesians 1:13
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

John 16:7
But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

1 John 3:24
Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. / And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Joel 2:28-29
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. / Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.

Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.


Treasury of Scripture

He said to them, Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? And they said to him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Have ye.

Acts 19:5
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 2:17,38,39
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: …

Acts 8:15-17
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: …

We have.

1 Samuel 3:7
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

John 7:39
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

1 Corinthians 6:19
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

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Believed Faith First Ghost Hear Heard Holy Receive Received Spirit Spirit Whether
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Believed Faith First Ghost Hear Heard Holy Receive Received Spirit Spirit Whether
Acts 19
1. The Holy Spirit is given by Paul's hands.
8. The Jews blaspheme his doctrine, which is confirmed by miracles.
13. The Jewish exorcists,
16. are beaten by a man who had an evil spirit.
19. Conjuring books are burnt.
21. Demetrius, for love of gain, raises an uproar against Paul;
35. which is appeased by the town clerk.














and asked them
This phrase indicates a direct engagement by Paul with the disciples he encountered in Ephesus. The Greek word for "asked" is "eipon," which implies a purposeful inquiry. Paul’s questioning reflects his pastoral concern and desire to ensure that these believers have a full understanding of the Christian faith. Historically, this moment underscores the importance of apostolic teaching and the transmission of the full gospel message.

Did you receive
The Greek word for "receive" is "elabete," which means to take or accept. This implies an active reception, not merely a passive experience. In the context of the early church, receiving the Holy Spirit was a transformative event, marking the believer's full initiation into the life of the church. This question highlights the necessity of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life, a core tenet of Christian doctrine.

the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, or "Pneuma Hagion" in Greek, is the third person of the Trinity. This reference is crucial as it emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in empowering and guiding believers. Theologically, the Holy Spirit is seen as the presence of God within us, enabling us to live out our faith. The mention of the Holy Spirit here is a reminder of the promise Jesus made to send a Helper to His followers (John 14:16-17).

when you became believers
The phrase "became believers" is translated from the Greek "pisteusantes," meaning to have faith or trust. This indicates a past action with ongoing results, reflecting the transformative nature of faith in Christ. Historically, this points to the spread of Christianity and the establishment of communities of faith throughout the Roman Empire. It also underscores the importance of correct teaching and understanding in the early church.

No, they answered
Their response, "No," is significant as it reveals a gap in their understanding and experience of the Christian faith. This highlights the diversity of belief and practice in the early church and the need for apostolic guidance. Theologically, it suggests that belief in Jesus is not complete without the experience and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

we have not even heard
This phrase indicates a lack of knowledge or awareness. The Greek word "ēkousamen" means to hear or to be informed. This suggests that these disciples had an incomplete understanding of the gospel. Historically, it reflects the challenges of communication and teaching in the early church, where the full message of the gospel had not yet reached all believers.

that there is a Holy Spirit
This final phrase underscores the essential role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The absence of this knowledge among the disciples in Ephesus points to the need for continued teaching and discipleship. Theologically, it emphasizes the Holy Spirit's role in the believer's life as a source of power, guidance, and assurance of salvation. This moment in Acts serves as a reminder of the importance of the Holy Spirit in the Christian faith and the need for believers to be fully informed and equipped in their spiritual journey.

(2) Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?--Better, as connecting the two facts in the English as in the Greek, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed?--i.e., on your conversion and baptism. We are left to conjecture what prompted the question. The most natural explanation is that St. Paul noticed in them, as they attended the meetings of the Church, a want of spiritual gifts, perhaps, also, a want of the peace and joy and brightness that showed itself in others. They presented the features of a rigorous asceticism like that of the Therapeutae--the outward signs of repentance and mortification--but something was manifestly lacking for their spiritual completeness.

We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.--The standpoint of the disciples so exactly corresponds to that of Apollos when he arrived at Ephesus, that we may reasonably think of them as having been converted by his preaching. They must, of course, have known the Holy Spirit as a name meeting them in the Sacred Books, as given to the olden prophets, but they did not think of that Spirit as a living and pervading presence, in which they themselves might claim a share. They had been baptised with the baptism of repentance, and were leading a life of fasting, and prayers, and alms, but they had not passed on to "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17). It lies on the surface that they were Jewish, not Gentile, disciples.

Verse 2. - And he said for he said, A.V. and T.R.; did ye receive for have ye received, A.V.; when for since, A.V.; nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Ghost was given for we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost, A.V. Did ye receive, etc.? The R.V. gives the sense much more accurately than the A.V., which is, "Did ye receive the Holy Ghost at the time of your baptism, when ye first believed?" Something led the apostle to suspect that they had not received the seal of the Spirit (comp. Ephesians 1:13, πιστεύσαντες ἐσφραγίσθητε), and so he asked the question. The answer, Nay, we did, not so much as hear whether the Holy Ghost was given, as in the R.V., is justified by John 7:39, where the exactly similar phrase, Οὔπω ῆν Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον, is rendered in the A.V., "The Holy Spirit was not yet given." "Esse pro adesse" (Bengel). The sense given in the A.V. does not seem probable. The answer means, "Not only have we not received the Holy Spirit, but we had not even heard that the dispensation of the Spirit was Come."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
and
τε (te)
Conjunction
Strong's 5037: And, both. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also.

asked
εἶπέν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

them,
αὐτούς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“Did you receive
ἐλάβετε (elabete)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

[the] Holy
Ἅγιον (Hagion)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 40: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred.

Spirit
Πνεῦμα (Pneuma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

when you became believers?”
πιστεύσαντες (pisteusantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

“No,”
Ἀλλ’ (All’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

[they answered],
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

“we have not even heard
ἠκούσαμεν (ēkousamen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

that
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

there is
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

[a] Holy
Ἅγιον (Hagion)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 40: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred.

Spirit.”
Πνεῦμα (Pneuma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.


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