Acts 8:7
BeginnerActs 8:7 · World English Bible (WEB)
“For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.”
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Overview
The power of Christ’s kingdom breaking into Samaria through deliverance and healing.
As Philip preached Christ in Samaria, the Lord confirmed the gospel with unmistakable works of power: demons were driven out, and broken bodies were restored. The verse shows Jesus continuing His ministry through His servants by the power of the Holy Spirit.
What Makes This Verse Confusing?
The “they” refers most naturally to the unclean spirits, not to the people being delivered. Luke is describing demons being expelled and making an audible outcry as they leave, much like in the Gospel accounts where demonic powers react violently when confronted by Christ’s authority.
The sentence places “those who had them” immediately before “They came out,” so the pronoun could seem grammatically unclear unless the flow of the verse is traced carefully: what comes out are the unclean spirits.
This makes the verse more than a general report of emotional response; it is a direct display of spiritual authority. The evil spirits do not quietly fade away—they are forced out under the victorious power of Christ.
Cultural & Historical Context
Acts was written to Theophilus and to believers needing certainty about the risen Lord’s continuing work through the apostles and evangelists.
This healing and deliverance happened during Philip’s ministry in Samaria after persecution scattered the church from Jerusalem. The gospel was now moving beyond its initial Jewish center, just as Jesus had promised in Acts 1:8.
- ✦Samaritans and Jews had deep religious and social hostility toward one another. The fact that such signs occurred in Samaria showed that the saving reign of Christ was not confined to Jerusalem or Judea.
Theological Insights
The gospel of Christ confronts both spiritual bondage and physical affliction.
This verse calls believers to remember that Jesus is Lord over the visible and invisible realms. The church does not proclaim a weak message, but the living Christ who delivers and restores according to His will.
Original Language
unclean — ἀκάθαρτος , -ον (ἀ- neg., καθαίρω), [in LXX chiefly for טָמֵא ;] unclean, impure ; __(a) physically (LS, MM, VGT , see word); __(b) ceremonially : Act.10:14,28 11:8 , 1Co.7:14 , 2Co.6:17 , Rev.18:2 ; __(with) morally : Eph.5:5 , Rev.17:4 ; with πνεῦμα, as always in Gosp., Mat.10:1 12:43 , Mrk.1:23,26,27 3:11,30 5:2,8,13 6:7 7:25 9:25 , Luk.4:33,36 6:18 8:29 9:42 11:24 , Act.5:16 8:7 , Rev.16:13 (c…
“Unclean” identifies these spirits as defiling powers opposed to the holiness of God. Luke is not merely saying the people were troubled; he is naming a real spiritual oppression that Christ’s authority drives out.
to go out — ἐξέρχομαι , [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for יצא, also for עלה ,בּוֹא, etc. ;] depon., to go, or come out of : Mat.10:11 , Mrk.1:35 , Jhn.13:30 , al.; with inf., Mat.11:8 , Mrk.3:21 , Luk.7:25, 26 Act.20:8 ; id. before ἐπί, Mat.26:55 , al.; εἰς, Mrk.1:38; ἵνα, Rev.6:2; ἐ. before ἐκ (cl. with genitive loc.), Mrk.5:2 , Jhn.4:30 , al.; ἔξω, with genitive, Mat.21:17 , Mrk.14:68 , Act.16:13 , He…
The verb for “came out” emphasizes departure or expulsion. The spirits are not negotiated with or gradually improved; they leave because a greater authority is present.
to paralyze — παρα-λύω [in LXX: Jer.6:24 , Jer 27:43 , Eze.21:7 (רָפָה), etc. ;] __1. to loose from the side, set free. __2. to weaken, enfeeble ; pass., to be enfeebled, esp. by a paralytic stroke: Luk.5:18, 24 , Act.8:7 9:33 , Heb.12:12 " (LXX) .† (AS)
The word behind “paralyzed” points to severe bodily incapacity. Luke pairs deliverance from demons with restoration of those unable to move, showing the breadth of the Lord’s mercy in this moment.
Lexicon & word tagging: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0)
Related Passages
Matthew 10:1
BackgroundActs 5:16
parallelActs 5:16 describes multitudes being healed and delivered from unclean spirits through the apostles’ ministry in Jerusalem.
Acts 14:8-10
BackgroundMark 16:17-18
BackgroundHebrews 2:4
backgroundHebrews 2:4 says God bore witness to the gospel with signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 9:26
parallelIn Mark 9:26, an unclean spirit cries out as it comes out of a boy. Acts 8:7 echoes that same kind of visible, audible expulsion.
Acts 3:6-7
parallelActs 3:6-7 records the healing of a lame man through the name of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 15:30-31
BackgroundCross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · openbible.info (CC-BY)
Key Takeaway
Acts 8:7 shows the risen Christ powerfully confirming the gospel in Samaria by casting out unclean spirits and healing the afflicted.
When Christ’s kingdom advances, demons must leave and brokenness must bow before His authority.“
Analysis generated on September 13, 2026 · version 2.0
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