SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:8
Y Dios, que conoce los corazones, les dio testimonio, dndoles el Espíritu Santo tambin como a nosotros;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 15:8
Verse 8. And God which knoweth the hearts] o kardiognwsthv qeov. We had this epithet of the Divine Being once before; see chap. i. 24, and the note there: it occurs no where else in the New Testament.
Bare them witness] Considered them as proper or fit to receive the Gospel of Christ. It is properly remarked by learned men, that marturein tini, to bear witness to any person, signifies to approve, to testify in behalf of. Here it signifies that, as God evidently sent the Gospel to the Gentiles, and, by the preaching of it, conveyed the Holy Spirit to them who believed, and as he can make no improper judgment of any who knows all hearts and their secrets, therefore what he had done was right: he saw that it was time for them to receive the Gospel; and he saw that they might be safely trusted with this heavenly deposit; and the experience of eighteen hundred years has justified the conduct of God.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. And God which knoweth the hearts , etc.] Of all men; he being omniscient, the searcher of the hearts, and the trier of the reins of the children of men, knew with what sincerity Cornelius sent for Peter; and with what vehement desire and longing expectation he and his family and friends waited for his coming; and with what earnestness, diligence, and affection they attended to what he said: bore them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us ; God bore a testimony, and showed his well pleasedness in the whole of this affair, by bestowing upon them not only the regenerating and sanctifying grace of the Spirit; but his extraordinary gifts, such as speaking with divers tongues, even in like manner as these were bestowed on the apostles themselves, on the day of Pentecost, though they were uncircumcised persons; for the drift of Peters oration is to show, that circumcision was not necessary to salvation.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-21 - We see from the words "purifying their hearts by faith," and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctificatio by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are the gift of God. We have great cause to bless God that we have heard the gospel May we have that faith which the great Searcher of hearts approves, an attests by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and conscience will be purified from the guilt of sin, and we shall be freed from the burdens some try to lay upon the disciples of Christ. Paul and Barnaba showed by plain matters of fact, that God owned the preaching of the pure gospel to the Gentiles without the law of Moses; therefore to press that law upon them, was to undo what God had done. The opinion of James was, that the Gentile converts ought not to be troubled abou Jewish rites, but that they should abstain from meats offered to idols so that they might show their hatred of idolatry. Also, that the should be cautioned against fornication, which was not abhorred by the Gentiles as it should be, and even formed a part of some of their rites. They were counselled to abstain from things strangled, and from eating blood; this was forbidden by the law of Moses, and also here from reverence to the blood of the sacrifices, which being then stil offered, it would needlessly grieve the Jewish converts, and furthe prejudice the unconverted Jews. But as the reason has long ceased, we are left free in this, as in the like matters. Let converts be warne to avoid all appearances of the evils which they formerly practised, or are likely to be tempted to; and caution them to use Christian libert with moderation and prudence.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM καρδιογνωστης 2589 N-NSM θεος 2316 N-NSM εμαρτυρησεν 3140 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM δους 1325 5631 V-2AAP-NSM αυτοις 846 P-DPM το 3588 T-ASN πνευμα 4151 N-ASN το 3588 T-ASN αγιον 40 A-ASN καθως 2531 ADV και 2532 CONJ ημιν 2254 P-1DP
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Which knoweth the heart (kardiognwsthv). Only here and ch. i. 24.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
15:8 {Which knoweth the heart} (kardiognwstes). Late word from kardia (heart) and gnwstes (known, ginwskw). In the N.T. only here and #1:24 which see. {Giving them the Holy Spirit} (dous to pneuma to hagion). And before their baptism. this was the Lord's doing. They had accepted (#11:18) this witness of God qen and it was true now of these other Gentile converts.
