Baptism Followed by the Laying on of Hands
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet [the Holy Spirit] had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Listen to the "Verse by Verse" episode covering this scripture.
We previously covered Acts 2:38 where the apostle Peter explained the process of conversion and becoming a member of the Church of God: First repent, then be baptized, then receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 8:14-17, the apostles heard that people had repented and had been baptized, but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. This passage shows the method God used to impart His Holy Spirit, through the laying on of hands of the ministry, accompanied by prayer.
For more about how God gives His Holy Spirit, see our article “Laying on of Hands.”
