The Samaritans Received the Holy Spirit
Peter and John were sent down to Samaria for the specific purpose of praying for the
Samaritan believers to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
ACTS 8:14-17
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the
word of God [ that they w ere born again l, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might RECEIVE THE
HOLY GHOST:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST.
Some might ask why Peter and John had to go pray for the Samaritans to receive the Holy
Ghost? Why couldn't Philip have prayed for them just as well? But we must remember that we
each have our place in God's plan. We must each find that place and do what God wants us to
do. God has special ministries. He didn't call all of us to minister the same, and He didn't give
all of us the same gifts or ministry.
Philip had a mighty ministry, but it was in the Lord's plan to send Peter and John to lay hands
on the new converts so they could receive the Holy Ghost. As I said previously, while it is true
any Christian can lay hands on another believer in faith to receive the baptism of the Holy
Spirit, it is also true that some members of the Body of Christ have more of a ministry and
more of an anointing along this line
Philip, for example, had more of a ministry of bringing people into salvation and of ministering
healing. As we saw in Acts 8:12, when Philip preached the good news of salvation through
Jesus Christ, people were saved. And there were also many healings under Philip's ministry
(Acts 8:6,7).
Peter and John, on the other hand, had a ministry more along the line of bringing believers into
the baptism of the Holy Spirit; when they laid their hands upon the Samaritans, these new
converts received the Holy Ghost.
ACTS 8:17-19
17 Then laid they [Peter and John] their hands on them, and they received the Holy
Ghost.
18 And when Simon SAW that through laying on of the apos tles' hands the Holy Ghost
was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the
Holy Ghost.
Evidence the Samaritans Received The Holy Spirit
Some who object to speaking with tongues say, "It's true the Samaritans received the Holy
Ghost, but they didn't speak with tongues." There isn't any proof, however, that the Samaritans
did not speak with tongues. In fact, Church historians agree that all of the Early Church fathers
concur that the Samaritans did speak with tongues.