Acts 2:33
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Acts 2:33
Acts 2:33 reads, “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” This verse connects Jesus’ exaltation to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. The risen Christ is exalted to God’s right hand, receiving the Spirit from the Father, and then sending the Spirit to empower the church. This linking of exaltation, Spirit-bestowal, and witnessing power is central to Luke’s narrative of Acts. The cultural assumption is that power or gifts come from divine sources; here, the Holy Spirit’s presence is the visible sign of Jesus’ glorified status and the Father’s fulfilled promise. The verse shows the Trinity’s cooperative work: Father promises Spirit; Son enthroned supplies Spirit; Spirit fills believers to testify.
The verse encapsulates the Trinity in action and the Pneumatic (Spirit) in the life of the church. It explains the source of the apostolic power to preach, heal, and witness. It also confirms that Pentecost is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send the Spirit, inaugurating the church’s mission. It ties Jesus’ exaltation with empowerment for ministry, shaping Christian pneumatology and missiology.
Today, this invites believers to lean into the Spirit’s power for witness, service, and daily life. It encourages prayer for empowerment to live boldly, to share the Gospel, and to serve with spiritual gifts for the common good. It also invites reflective practice: asking God to make you a more effective witness in your workplace, family, and community. The verse can encourage generosity, courage, and a posture of listening for the Spirit’s leading in decisions and relationships.
Cross-References: John 16:7–15; Acts 1:8; Joel 2:28–29; Romans 8:9–11; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11.