Bible Strands
Acts 8:14
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The apostles in Jerusalem learn that Samaria has accepted the gospel, prompting them to send Peter and John to the region after Philip’s initial preaching and Simon’s baptism.
The words — Ἀκούσαντες (Akousantes) translates literally as "having heard," while δέδεκται (dedektai) means "has received," both functioning as completed actions that directly trigger the apostolic dispatch.
The thread — The expression "received the word of God" aligns with 1 Thessalonians 2:13, where the preached message is identified as God’s word, and the sending of representatives follows the pattern seen in 1 Thessalonians 3:2 and the geographic expansion noted in Acts 8:1.
Why it lands — The text records Jerusalem leadership verifying a new conversion field before deploying authoritative figures, requiring readers to observe how early church coordination depended on direct oversight rather than independent ministry.
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
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Cross-references
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:2 We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
- Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Galatians 2:9 And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
- Matthew 13:23 But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”
- Luke 22:8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
- John 12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
- Acts 2:41 Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.
- Acts 3:1 One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
- Acts 11:1 The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.