Peter and John Confer the Holy Ghost Upon the Samaritans
Published October 6, 2026 at 3:09 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
The apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God. They sent Peter and John, who prayed for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Ghost, as it had not yet fallen upon them, though they had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Peter and John then laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Fuller account of this event (as retold in Acts 8:14-17, J.B. Phillips New Testament):
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God, they sent Peter and John down to them. When these two had arrived they prayed for the Samaritans that they might receive the Holy Spirit for as yet he had not fallen upon any of them. They were living simply as men and women who had been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. So then and there they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
In Their Own Words
““Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost” Acts viii, 14—17).”
— Millennial Star 48:16
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 19 April 1886 (Vol. 48, No. 16). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1886-04-19_48_16 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Fuller account: Acts 8:14-17, J.B. Phillips New Testament https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Acts%208:17
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