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Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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New Life Version

Acts 15:8

God knows the hearts of all men. He showed them they were to have His loving-favor by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as He gave to us.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Antioch;   Bigotry;   Catholicity;   Church;   Circumcision;   Council;   Doctrines;   Elder;   Gentiles;   God Continued...;   Heart;   Holy Spirit;   Law;   Peter;   Salvation;   Titus;   Thompson Chain Reference - Heart;   Hearts Read;   Knowledge;   Knowledge, Divine;   Knowledge-Ignorance;   The Topic Concordance - Gentiles/heathen;   Giving and Gifts;   Heart;   Holy Spirit;   Israel/jews;   Knowledge;   Salvation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gift of the Holy Spirit, the;   Heathen, the;   Jews, the;   Justification before God;   Witness of the Holy Spirit;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Circumcision;   Council;   Meats;   Peter;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Antioch in syria;   Gentile;   Peter;   Timothy;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Amos, Theology of;   Circumcision;   Sermon on the Mount;   Worship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Abstinence;   Ordination;   Presbyterians;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Peter;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Joshua;   Paul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Barnabas;   Council of Jerusalem;   Disciples;   Galatians, Letter to the;   Romans, Book of;   Temptation;   Unity;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Antioch;   Church Government;   Council;   Galatians, Epistle to the;   James;   James, Epistle of;   Law;   Paul the Apostle;   Peter;   Power of the Keys;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Divisions;   Ebionism (2);   God;   Holy Spirit (2);   Law;   Ordination;   Preaching Christ;   Regeneration;   Resurrection of Christ;   Witness;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Barnabas ;   Elders;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Antioch;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Synods;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Foreknow;   Heart;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Antinomianism;   New Testament;   Saul of Tarsus;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for November 10;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us.
King James Version (1611)
And God which knoweth the hearts, bare them witnes, giuing them the holy Ghost, euen as he did vnto vs,
King James Version
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
English Standard Version
And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,
New American Standard Bible
"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
New Century Version
God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, accepted them. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
Amplified Bible
"And God, who knows and understands the heart, testified to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
Legacy Standard Bible
And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
Berean Standard Bible
And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
Contemporary English Version
He knows what is in everyone's heart. And he showed that he had chosen the Gentiles, when he gave them the Holy Spirit, just as he had given his Spirit to us.
Complete Jewish Bible
And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness by giving the Ruach HaKodesh to them, just as he did to us;
Darby Translation
And the heart-knowing God bore them witness, giving [them] the Holy Spirit as to us also,
Easy-to-Read Version
God knows everyone, even their thoughts, and he accepted these non-Jewish people. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as he did to us.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And God which knoweth the heartes, bare them witnesse, in giuing vnto them ye holy Ghost euen as he did vnto vs.
George Lamsa Translation
And God, who knows what is in the heart, has testified concerning them, and has given them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.
Good News Translation
And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us.
Lexham English Bible
And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us.
Literal Translation
And the heart-knowing God testified to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us.
American Standard Version
And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
Bible in Basic English
And God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us;
Hebrew Names Version
God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Ruach HaKodesh, just like he did to us.
International Standard Version
God, who knows everyone's heart, showed them he approved by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.1 Chronicles 28:9; Acts 1:24; 10:44;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And Aloha, who knoweth what is in the hearts, testified of them, and gave them the Spirit of Holiness, as to us.
Murdock Translation
And God, who knoweth what is in hearts, bore testimony concerning them, and gave the Holy Spirit to them, even as to us.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And God whiche knoweth the heartes, bare them witnesse, and gaue vnto them the holy ghost, euen as he dyd vnto vs:
English Revised Version
And God, which knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
World English Bible
God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And God who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving the Holy Ghost to them, even as also to us.
Weymouth's New Testament
And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and God, that knewe hertis, bar witnessing, and yaf to hem the Hooli Goost, as also to vs;
Update Bible Version
And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us;
Webster's Bible Translation
And God, who knoweth the hearts, bore them witness, giving to them the Holy Spirit, even as [he did] to us:
New English Translation
And God, who knows the heart, has testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,
New King James Version
So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
New Living Translation
God knows people's hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
New Revised Standard
And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, the heart-observing God, bare witness, - unto them, giving the Holy Spirit, just as, even unto us;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And God, who knoweth the hearts, gave testimony, giving unto them the Holy Ghost, as well as to us:
Revised Standard Version
And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And God which knoweth the herte bare them witnes and gave vnto them the holy goost eve as he dyd vnto vs
Young's Literal Translation
and the heart-knowing God did bare them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And God the knower of hertes bare wytnesse ouer the, and gaue the the holy goost, like as vnto vs,
Mace New Testament (1729)
God who knows their hearts has granted them a testimonial, by giving them the holy spirit, even as he did to us:
Simplified Cowboy Version
God knows all people's hearts, and he branded these mavericks with the Holy Spirit just like he did us.

Contextual Overview

6 The missionaries and church leaders got together to talk about this. 7 After a long time of much talking, Peter got up and said to them, "Brothers, you know in the early days God was pleased to use me to preach the Good News to the people who are not Jews so they might put their trust in Christ. 8 God knows the hearts of all men. He showed them they were to have His loving-favor by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as He gave to us. 9 He has made no difference between them and us. They had their hearts made clean when they put their trust in Him also. 10 Why do you test God by putting too heavy a load on the back of the followers? It was too heavy for our fathers or for us to carry. 11 We believe it is by the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved. They are saved from the punishment of sin the same way." 12 All those who were gathered together said nothing. They listened to Paul and Barnabas who told of the powerful works God had done through them among the people who are not Jews. 13 When they finished speaking, James said, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon Peter has told how God first visited the people who are not Jews. He was getting a people for Himself. 15 This agrees with what the early preacher said,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

which: Acts 1:24, 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chronicles 28:9, 1 Chronicles 29:17, Psalms 44:21, Psalms 139:1, Psalms 139:2, Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 17:10, Jeremiah 20:12, John 2:24, John 2:25, John 21:17, Hebrews 4:13, Revelation 2:23

bare: Acts 14:3, John 5:37, Hebrews 2:4

giving: Acts 2:4, Acts 4:31, Acts 10:44, Acts 10:45, Acts 11:15-17

Reciprocal: Joel 2:28 - upon Luke 16:15 - God John 14:26 - Holy Ghost John 15:26 - he Acts 2:39 - and to all Acts 10:28 - but Acts 10:47 - General Acts 11:17 - as God Acts 13:22 - to whom Romans 8:27 - And he Romans 10:12 - there is no Romans 14:3 - for 2 Corinthians 11:11 - God Galatians 3:2 - Received Hebrews 6:4 - partakers 2 Peter 1:1 - have

Cross-References

Genesis 15:2
Then Abram said, "O Lord God, what will You give me? For I have no child. And the one who is to receive what belongs to me is Eliezer of Damascus."
Genesis 15:4
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This man will not be given what is yours. But he who will come from your own body will be given what is yours."
Genesis 15:9
So the Lord said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon."
Genesis 15:10
Then Abram brought all these to Him, and cut them in two. And he laid each half beside the other. But he did not cut the birds.
Genesis 15:13
God said to Abram, "Know for sure that your children and those born after them will be strangers in a land that is not theirs. There they will be servants and suffer for 400 years.
Genesis 15:14
But I will punish the nation they will serve. And later they will come out with many riches.
Genesis 15:17
When the sun had gone down and it was very dark, a fire pot of smoke and a burning fire passed between these parts of animals.
2 Kings 20:8
Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What will be the special thing for me to see, that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?"
Psalms 86:17
Give me something special to see of Your favor. Then those who hate me may see it and be ashamed. Because You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Isaiah 7:11
"Ask for something special to see from the Lord your God. Ask for it to be as deep as the place of the dead or as high as heaven."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And God which knoweth the hearts,.... Of all men; he being omniscient, the searcher of the hearts, and the trier of the reins of the children of men, knew with what sincerity Cornelius sent for Peter; and with what vehement desire and longing expectation he and his family and friends waited for his coming; and with what earnestness, diligence, and affection they attended to what he said:

bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; God bore a testimony, and showed his well pleasedness in the whole of this affair, by bestowing upon them not only the regenerating and sanctifying grace of the Spirit; but his extraordinary gifts, such as speaking with divers tongues, even in like manner as these were bestowed on the apostles themselves, on the day of Pentecost, though they were uncircumcised persons; for the drift of Peter's oration is to show, that circumcision was not necessary to salvation.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 ... - Acts 10:45-46.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 15:8. And God which knoweth the hearts — Ο καρδιογνωϚης Θεος. We had this epithet of the Divine Being once before; see Acts 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.


 
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