SEV Biblia, Chapter 19:2
les dijo: ¿Habis recibido el Espíritu Santo despus que creisteis? Y ellos le dijeron: Antes ni aun hemos oído si hay Espíritu Santo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 19:2
Verse 2. Have ye received the Holy Ghost] It is likely that these were Asiatic Jews, who, having been at Jerusalem about twenty-six years before this, had heard the preaching of John, and received his baptism, believing in the coming Christ, whom John had proclaimed; but it appears that till this time they had got no farther instruction in the Christian religion. Paul, perceiving this, asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed? For it was the common privilege of the disciples of Christ to receive, not only the ordinary graces, but also the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit; and thus the disciples of Christ differed from those of John, and of all others. John baptized with water; Jesus baptized with the Holy Ghost. And to this day the genuine disciples of Christ are distinguished from all false religionists, and from nominal Christians, by being made partakers of this Spirit, which enlightens their minds, and convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment; quickens their souls, witnesses to their conscience that they are the children of God, and purifies their hearts. Those who have not received these blessings from the Holy Spirit, whatever their profession may be, know nothing better than John's baptism: good, excellent in its kind, but ineffectual to the salvation of those who live under the meridian of Christianity.
We have not so much as heard whether, &c.] That is, they had not heard that there were particular gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit to be received.
They could not mean that they had not heard of the Holy Spirit; for John, in his baptism, announced Christ as about to baptize with the Holy Ghost, Matt. iii. 11; Luke iii. 16; but they simply meant that they had not heard that this Spirit, in his gifts, had been given to or received by any one.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost , etc.] Meaning, not the special regenerating and sanctifying grace of the Holy Ghost, for that is supposed in their being disciples and believers, but the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, for it follows, since ye believed ? that is, in Christ; which is taking it for granted, that they had received the special grace of the Spirit of God; for this believing is to be understood of true, spiritual, special faith in Christ: and they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost ; by which they could not mean the person of the Holy Ghost: for they must have known that there was such a divine person as the Holy Ghost, from the writings of the Old Testament, with which they were conversant: and from the ministry of John, into whose baptism they were baptized; who saw the Spirit of God descend on Jesus, and bore witness of it; and declared, that Christ who was to come after him, would baptize with the Holy Ghost: nor could they mean the special grace of the Spirit, which they themselves had received; but the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit of God, which they at present knew nothing of, and which were afterwards bestowed upon them: they knew that there were prophecies in the Old Testament, concerning the effusion of the Spirit in the last days, in the days of the Messiah; but they had not heard that these had had their accomplishment; they had heard nothing of the day of Pentecost, and of the pouring out of the Spirit upon the apostles then, nor of any instance of this kind since; they did not know that the Holy Ghost was yet, ( John 7:39) they knew he was promised, but not that he was given; the Ethiopic version, to avoid the difficulty of the text, renders it, we have only heard that there was an Holy Ghost.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Paul, at Ephesus, found some religious persons, who looked to Jesus a the Messiah. They had not been led to expect the miraculous powers of the Holy Ghost, nor were they informed that the gospel was especiall the ministration of the Spirit. But they spake as ready to welcome the notice of it. Paul shows them that John never design that those he baptized should rest there, but told them that they should believe of Him who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. The thankfully accepted the discovery, and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Ghost came upon them in a surprising, overpowerin manner; they spake with tongues, and prophesied, as the apostles an the first Gentile coverts did. Though we do not now expect miraculou powers, yet all who profess to be disciples of Christ, should be calle on to examine whether they have received the seal of the Holy Ghost, in his sanctifying influences, to the sincerity of their faith. Many see not to have heard that there is a Holy Ghost, and many deem all that is spoken concerning his graces and comforts, to be delusion. Of such it may properly be inquired, "Unto what, then, were ye baptized?" for the evidently know not the meaning of that outward sign on which they plac great dependence.
Greek Textus Receptus
ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S προς 4314 PREP αυτους 846 P-APM ει 1487 COND πνευμα 4151 N-ASN αγιον 40 A-ASN ελαβετε 2983 5627 V-2AAI-2P πιστευσαντες 4100 5660 V-AAP-NPM οι 3588 T-NPM δε 1161 CONJ ειπον 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3P προς 4314 PREP αυτον 846 P-ASM αλλ 235 CONJ ουδε 3761 ADV ει 1487 COND πνευμα 4151 N-NSN αγιον 40 A-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ηκουσαμεν 191 5656 V-AAI-1P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? The two verbs are in the aorist tense, and therefore denote instantaneous acts. The A.V. therefore gives an entirely wrong idea, as there is no question about what happened after believing; but the question relates to what occurred when they believed. Hence Rev., rightly, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed?We have not heard. Also the aorist. We did not hear; referring back to the time of their beginning.
Whether there be any Holy Ghost. But, as Bengel observes, "They could not have followed either Moses or John the Baptist without having heard of the Holy Ghost." The words, therefore, are to be explained, not of their being unaware of the existence of the Holy Ghost, but of his presence and baptism on earth. The word estin, there be, is to be taken in the sense of be present, or be given, as in John vii. 39, where it is said, "The Holy Ghost was not yet (oupw hn)," and where the translators rightly render, "was not yet given."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
19:2 {Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed?} (ei pneuma hagion elabete pisteusantes?). this use of Pi in a direct question occurs in #1:6, is not according to the old Greek idiom, but is common in the LXX and the N.T. as in #Lu 13:23 which see (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 916). Apparently Paul was suspicious of the looks or conduct of these professed disciples. The first aorist active participle pisteusantes is simultaneous with the second aorist active indicative elabete and refers to the same event. {Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was} (all' oude ei pneuma hagion estin ekousamen). The reply of these ignorant disciples is amazing. They probably refer to the time of their baptism and mean that, when baptized, they did not hear whether (ei in indirect question) the Holy Spirit was (estin retained as in #Joh 7:39). Plain proof that they knew John's message poorly.
