Bible Strands
Acts 13:52
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Luke records this narrative statement about the disciples immediately after Paul and Barnabas shake the dust off their feet in protest and depart for Iconium. The description marks the community's condition at a moment of geographical and relational transition following Jewish opposition.
The words — The verb ἐπληροῦντο (eplērounto) literally means "were being filled" or "were becoming full." It governs two genitive nouns, χαρᾶς (charas, "of joy") and πνεύματος ἁγίου (pneumatos hagiou, "of Holy Spirit"), indicating the source and content of that fullness.
The thread — The combination of Spirit and joy in this phrase parallels Acts 4:31, where prayer precedes Spirit filling, and 1 Thessalonians 1:6, which links welcoming the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 also connects being filled with joy directly to belief in God.
Why it lands — The text states that the disciples' condition is one of fullness rather than depletion despite the preceding conflict. It asks the reader to acknowledge that the community's sustenance comes from divine infusion, not from favorable circumstances.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
Cross-references
- Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of your great suffering.
- Acts 4:31 After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
- Romans 5:3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
- Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
- 2 Corinthians 8:2 In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.
- Acts 5:41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
- Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.