Acts 10:44

ยถ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

While Peter {G4074} yet {G2089} spake {G2980} these {G5023} words {G4487}, the Holy {G40} Ghost {G4151} fell {G1968} on {G1909} all {G3956} them which heard {G191} the word {G3056}.

Kefa was still saying these things when the Ruach HaKodesh fell on all who were hearing the message.

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message.

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word.

Commentary

Acts 10:44 KJV marks a pivotal moment in early Christian history, demonstrating God's radical inclusion of Gentiles into the new covenant community. This verse captures the astonishing event where the Holy Ghost descended upon Cornelius's household and other Gentiles who had gathered to hear the Apostle Peter preach.

Context

This verse occurs at a transformative juncture following Peter's profound vision in Joppa, where God declared all foods clean and, by extension, all people acceptable. Simultaneously, Cornelius, a Roman centurion and devout Gentile, received a vision instructing him to send for Peter. Peter, overcoming his traditional Jewish prejudices (as highlighted in Acts 10:28), arrived at Cornelius's house in Caesarea. As Peter was explaining the Gospel message โ€“ that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and that through His name, whosoever believes shall receive remission of sins โ€“ the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred, interrupting his sermon.

Key Themes

  • Divine Initiative: The descent of the Holy Spirit was not orchestrated by human effort but was a direct, undeniable act of God, signifying His sovereign will to save all people.
  • Inclusion of Gentiles: This event shattered the long-standing barrier between Jews and Gentiles, unequivocally demonstrating that salvation and the Holy Spirit are for all who believe, regardless of ethnic background or prior adherence to Jewish law. It laid the groundwork for the church's global mission.
  • The Holy Spirit's Impartiality: The Spirit "fell on all them which heard the word," showing that God does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34). The experience was akin to the day of Pentecost, validating the Gentiles' conversion.
  • Salvation by Faith: The Holy Spirit's coming *before* water baptism confirmed that their faith in Christ was genuine and acceptable to God, signifying that salvation is received through faith, not by ritual or adherence to external laws.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the Holy Ghost fell on" translates the Greek word epepesen (แผฯ€ฮญฯ€ฮตฯƒฮตฮฝ), which denotes a sudden, powerful, and overwhelming descent. This same strong verb is used elsewhere to describe the Spirit's coming, emphasizing the divine, undeniable nature of the experience. The phrase "heard the word" (Greek: ton logon akouontลn) highlights the centrality of the preached Gospel message as the vehicle through which faith was ignited and God's grace was received.

Related Scriptures

This event serves as a crucial fulfillment of the Great Commission given by Jesus in Matthew 28:19, to make disciples of all nations. It is paralleled with the outpouring at Pentecost for the Jews in Acts 2:4, and later confirmed by Peter in Acts 11:15-17, leading the Jerusalem church to acknowledge God's work among the Gentiles.

Practical Application

Acts 10:44 continues to resonate today, reminding believers of several key truths:

  • God's Unconditional Love: God's grace and salvation are extended to all people, regardless of their background, race, or social standing. Prejudices and barriers that divide people are contrary to God's heart.
  • The Power of the Word: The Holy Spirit works powerfully through the proclamation of God's Word. When the Gospel is shared, God is active, drawing people to Himself.
  • The Holy Spirit's Indwelling: The Spirit's descent signifies that believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit upon faith (Ephesians 1:13), empowering them for witness and godly living.
  • Unity in Christ: This event underscores the unity of the church, where all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, are one in Christ, forming a single body through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:14-16).
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Acts 11:15

    And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

  • Acts 19:6

    And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

  • Acts 15:8

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

  • Acts 4:31

    And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

  • Acts 2:2

    And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

  • 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 8:15

    Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
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