Acts · Chapter 1
Acts 1:8 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"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.”"
KJV · King James Version
"But235 ye shall receive2983 power1411, after that the Holy40 Ghost4151 is come1904 upon1909 you5209: and2532 ye shall be2071 witnesses3144 unto me3427 both5037 in1722 Jerusalem2419, and2532 in1722 all3956 Judaea2449, and2532 in Samaria4540, and2532 unto2193 the uttermost part2078 of the earth1093. power: or, the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses shall, after, that, ghost, while the WEB renders these as will, when, spirit, has. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Acts 1:8 in Acts 1
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Acts 1:8 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Acts 1. Read the full chapter →
- v.6 Therefore when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
- v.7 He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.
- v.8 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.”
- v.9 When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.
- v.10 While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,
Book background
About the Book of Acts
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- Church history
- Author
- Luke
- Date written
- c. 62 AD
- Audience
- Theophilus and the early church
- Chapters
- 28
Acts traces the gospel's spread from Jerusalem to Rome — from Pentecost (chapter 2) through the apostolic ministry of Peter and the missionary journeys of Paul. It is the Holy Spirit's book as much as the apostles' — the Spirit is the active agent in nearly every chapter. The book ends mid-action: Paul preaching in Rome, "with all boldness, unhindered."
Setting: A history of the church's first three decades — Jerusalem to Rome.
Key themes: Holy Spirit · mission · witness · church growth · persecution
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Acts 1:8
Acts 1:8 contains 34 words in 4 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you
BYWRPW
- 2
You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem
YWBWTM
- 3
in all Judea and Samaria
IAJAS
- 4
and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
ATTUPO
Frequently asked
FAQ about Acts 1:8
What does Acts 1:8 say?
Acts 1:8 reads: "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.”" — from the New Testament, Acts (Church history). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Acts 1:8 in?
Acts 1:8 is in the book of Acts, traditionally attributed to Luke and written around c. 62 AD. Acts is church history in the New Testament, originally addressed to Theophilus and the early church. Best known for Pentecost and the missionary journeys of Paul.
What is the difference between Acts 1:8 in WEB and KJV?
Acts 1:8 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "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.”". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "But235 ye shall receive2983 power1411, after that the Holy40 Ghost4151 is come1904 upon1909 you5209: and2532 ye shall be2071 witnesses3144 unto me3427 both5037 in1722 Jerusalem2419, and2532 in1722 all3956 Judaea2449, and2532 in Samaria4540, and2532 unto2193 the uttermost part2078 of the earth1093. power: or, the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Acts 1:8?
Acts 1:8 is 34 words in the WEB translation (176 characters), broken into 4 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 10 seconds.
How can I memorise Acts 1:8?
To memorise Acts 1:8, split it into its 4 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Acts 1:8 matter in Acts?
Acts traces the gospel's spread from Jerusalem to Rome — from Pentecost (chapter 2) through the apostolic ministry of Peter and the missionary journeys of Paul. It is the Holy Spirit's book as much as the apostles' — the Spirit is the active agent in nearly every chapter. The book ends mid-action: Paul preaching in Rome, "with all boldness, unhindered." Acts 1:8 sits within this larger story — Acts as a whole emphasises Holy Spirit, mission, witness.
How can I apply Acts 1:8 today?
Many readers use Acts 1:8 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Acts 1:8 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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