But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus explicitly names Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and "the ends of the earth," deliberately including Samaritans who had previously been excluded from the disciples' ministry. This isn't just a geographical progression, but a strategic expansion that points to the gospel breaking down barriers and reaching those the disciples might not have expected.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just ascended into heaven, leaving his disciples with an important question about restoring Israel's kingdom and a crucial command to wait for the Holy Spirit. This verse directly addresses their need for empowerment, outlining their mission to be His witnesses, beginning in Jerusalem and expanding outward through Judea, Samaria, and eventually to the entire world. The subsequent narrative in Acts meticulously details the fulfillment of this promise, showing how the early church carried out this global witness.
The disciples were buzzing with questions about God's timing. Jesus redirected their focus from speculation to empowered action.
Jesus' response in Acts 1:8 isn't just a prediction; it's a redirection. The disciples had just asked, "Lord, at this time will you restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). Their minds were on when and what God would do. Jesus pivots, saying, 'You will receive power... and you will be my witnesses.'
This 'power' (Greek dynamis) isn't about knowing secret schedules. It's about divine enablement for a specific mission. It's the Holy Spirit equipping them to be Christ's representatives, giving them boldness, wisdom, and the ability to share the Gospel effectively, even in the face of opposition. It shifts the focus from passive waiting to active, Spirit-fueled participation.
Jesus gives a clear, geographically expanding mission for his followers. How does this structure the book of Acts?
The phrase "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" isn't just a random list of places. It's a strategic blueprint for the spread of the Gospel, and it directly shapes the narrative of the Book of Acts.
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Luke, the author of Acts, intentionally follows this trajectory. He shows how God’s people, empowered by the Spirit, move from their local community outward, breaking down barriers and fulfilling Christ's global commission.
Understand the original words
dynamis · Greek Noun
The divine enablement, strength, and efficacy granted by God to His people for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission and living the Christian life.
Pneuma Hagion · Greek Noun
The third person of the Trinity, the divine presence of God who indwells, guides, empowers, and sanctifies believers for ministry.
martyres · Greek Noun
Those who provide testimony or evidence to the truth of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and teachings through their words and lives.
Acts 1:8 outlines a clear geographical progression for the Gospel witness: from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the 'ends of the earth.' The book of Acts meticulously chronicles this expansion, showing how divine intervention and human mission worked together.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
After His resurrection, Jesus meets with His disciples for forty days, teaching them about the kingdom of God before ascending into heaven. He instructs them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit's Coming
Ten days after Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples in Jerusalem, empowering them to speak in other languages and fulfilling Jesus' promise.
c. AD 30-33
Witnesses in Jerusalem
The apostles begin their ministry in Jerusalem, preaching boldly and performing miracles. The church grows rapidly, but this also leads to increasing opposition from Jewish authorities.
c. AD 33-36
Scattering to Judea and Samaria
A severe persecution breaks out against the church in Jerusalem, forcing many believers to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria. This scattering inadvertently spreads the Gospel to these regions.
c. AD 36
Philip Preaches in Samaria
Philip, one of the Hellenistic deacons, travels to Samaria and preaches Christ, seeing many conversions. Peter and John later join him, confirming the Samaritan believers through prayer and the laying on of hands.
c. AD 40s-60s
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul embarks on extensive missionary journeys, taking the Gospel beyond Judea and Samaria to the Gentile world, reaching Asia Minor, Greece, and eventually Rome.
This verse directly parallels Acts 1:8, stating Jesus' promise that the disciples would be clothed with power from on high, enabling them to be witnesses.
Matthew 28:19-20This passage contains the Great Commission, outlining the global scope of witness and discipleship that the empowerment in Acts 1:8 is meant to fulfill.
John 15:26-27Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit will testify about Him, and in turn, the disciples will also testify because they have been with Him from the beginning, connecting the Spirit's power to the witness.
Isaiah 49:6This prophecy speaks of a servant who would be a light to the nations and salvation to the ends of the earth, a mission that the empowered witnesses in Acts are sent to accomplish.
Acts 8:1This verse immediately shows the fulfillment of the witness expanding beyond Jerusalem, with believers being scattered and preaching the word throughout Judea and Samaria, demonstrating the initial stages of the Acts 1:8 commission.
vincentActs 1:8: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Unto me (μοι)The best texts read μου, of me; or, as Rev., my witnesses.SamariaFormerly they had been commanded not to enter the cities of the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5).
cambridgeActs 1:8: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
8 . ye shall receive power ] Something different from the profitless speculations to which they had just desired an answer, even “a mouth and wisdom which their adversaries could neither gainsay nor resist” ( Luke 21:15 ). Thus would they be enabled to become Christ’s witnesses. in Je…
Jesus explicitly names Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and "the ends of the earth," deliberately including Samaritans who had previously been excluded from the disciples' ministry. This isn't just a geographical progression, but a strategic expansion that points to the gospel breaking down barriers and reaching those the disciples might not have expected.
Jesus has just ascended into heaven, leaving his disciples with an important question about restoring Israel's kingdom and a crucial command to wait for the Holy Spirit. This verse directly addresses their need for empowerment, outlining their mission to be His witnesses, beginning in Jerusalem and expanding outward through Judea, Samaria, and eventually to the entire world. The subsequent narrative in Acts meticulously details the fulfillment of this promise, showing how the early church carried out this global witness.
Jesus has just ascended into heaven, leaving his disciples with an important question about restoring Israel's kingdom and a crucial command to wait for the Holy Spirit. This verse directly addresses their need for empowerment, outlining their mission to be His witnesses, beginning in Jerusalem and expanding outward through Judea, Samaria, and eventually to the entire world. The subsequent narrative in Acts meticulously details the fulfillment of this promise, showing how the early church carried out this global witness.
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”" — Jesus explicitly names Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and "the ends of the earth," deliberately including Samaritans who had previously been excluded from the disciples' ministry. This isn't just a geogr…
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Last reviewed October 2026