When did the Apostles receive the Holy Ghost?

Luke 24:49
King James Version
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

John 20:21-22
King James Version
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

So if I'm not mistaken, in John 20:22 Jesus breathes on 10 of the Apostles and they receive the Holy Ghost then (Thomas wasn't there), but in Luke 24:49 it seems to say that that is when they received the Holy Ghost (Thomas is there). Is this a contradiction? They must be two different events too. Is what is happening in Luke 24:49 not the Apostles receiving the Holy Ghost?

john 20:22

What is happening in Luke 24:49? I guess they aren't receiving the Holy Ghost?

It was not until Pentecost ....You cannot receive something before it is available.
In John,....Jesus is instructing them ... Acts_ 1:4 & 1:8 would be a contradiction if they had already received it

Act 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.


Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

The words .....rushing mighty wind would be better translated heavy breathing

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was the promise of the Spirit for all and was for the expression of gifts and authenticate the works of God. In the OT this was lacking and when God desired to manifest Himself the Spirit would fall upon individuals. This is different from the attendance of the Holy Spirit in salvation where He indwells the believer.

Thomas received the Holy Spirit when he said My LORD and my GOD JOHN 20:28

ALL RECEIVED when Jesu breathed on them. the Holy Spirit came in them

Yet the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them as Jesus said He would in Acts 1:8

Remember the difference between and individual being indwelt by the Holy Spirit at salvation.. and an already saved group being empowered by the Holy Spirit.. receiving the Holy Spirit 'in the midst'

Two different works of the Holy Spirit. The later has nothing to do with receiving salvation.

Key Words "Receive Ye" = IN In vs Upon. Two different Works of The Holy Spirit

The apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of the resurrection of Christ (and presumably Thomas eight days later).

But on the day of Pentecost they received three additional things: (1) the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for them to preach the Gospel, (2) the spiritual gift of speaking foreign languages supernaturally, and (3) divided tongues of supernatural fire sitting on each one to confirm both these things.

So this tells us that there are two aspects to the gift of the Spirit: (a) the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and (b) the fulness of the Holy Spirit. The fulness of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to proclaim the Gospel boldly. Thus we see a contrast between Peter when he denied Christ three times and Peter when he boldly proclaimed the Gospel to thousands of Jews publicly. We also see this boldness mentioned later when all the disciples were also empowered: And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31) The word "filled" speaks of the fulness of the Holy Spirit, since all these disciples had already received the gift of the Holy Spirit (given to all who repent and believe). The Gospel is indeed "the Word of God" and is often called just that.

Yea it doesn't say anyone received the holy ghost until acts 2

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.


But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, And signs in the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before that great and notable Day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 2:4‭, ‬16‭-‬21 KJV



No one could receive the spirit until Jesus ascended tonhis throne


This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 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. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Acts 2:32‭-‬33‭, ‬36 KJV

Actually John 20:21-22 does say that.

You are so right ------it definitely does say that ------I think that people have no idea there is a difference between receiving the Holy Spirit and being Filled with the Holy Spirit -----there is a big Difference ----and in Acts we see that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and Spoke in different earthly languages so they could preach the Gospel to everyone -------

John 20:19-23 ABCE

19 Then on that same first day of the week, when it was evening, though the disciples were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace to you!

20 So saying, He showed them His hands and His side. And when the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy (delight, exultation, ecstasy, rapture).

21 Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you! [Just] as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you.

22 And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit!

23 [Now having received the Holy Spirit, and being [a]led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

in Acts 2:4 they are filled with the Holy Spirit

Amplified Bible
And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].

the Greek word for Filled means this -------

HELPS Word-studies
4130 plḗthō (or pimplēmi) – properly, fill to the maximum (full extent), "the limit" (CBL). 4130 /plḗthō ("full") implies "filled to one's (individual) capacity."

[This root (plē-) expresses totality, and implies full quantity ("up to the max").

-Just to clarify the Difference -----I am posting this --------

So receiving the Holy Spirit is not the same as being Filled with the Holy Spirit -----when you receive Jesus in your heart you receive the Holy spirit ------your not filled with the Holy spirit -----the filling of the Holy spirit equips one to cast out demons ---heal the Sick ----raise the dead etc ---which happened at Pentecost when tongues of fire come upon the Disciples -------

Peter raised a woman from the dead -----Acts 9:36-43
Paul raised a person from the dead ---Acts 20:7-12

i say ---------This takes the filling of the Holy Spirit preform the Miracles --------

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:”
‭‭John‬ ‭20:22‬ ‭KJV‬‬


That doesn’t say anyone received the Holy Ghost it doesn’t say anyone receives the Holy Ghost until this point

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:4‬ ‭

it just says what it says

Do you know the difference between "receive" and "filled"? Christ does not speak idle words. When He said "receive" they received the gift of the Holy Ghost that instant. And that was a necessity since the Lord would then expound to them from the OT Scriptures the things concerning Himself. See Luke 24. And then He would be teaching them many things for the next forty days until His ascension.

There isn’t a difference it’s just wording of you receive the spirit he lives in you fills your heart there isn’t a two step process

It couldn’t happen until Jesus ascended to his throne when he sent it into the world

“This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 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.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:32-33, 38‬ ‭KJV‬‬


They simply didn’t receive the holy ghost until pentocost what Jesus said was a precursor to a new life coming shortly

“and, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. ( holt ghost )

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭1:4-5, 8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When he left thier sight into heaven he sent the spirit that he promised them in John chapter 14-16

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. “


Thatbhappened just before oeter began speaking this sermon exactly like Jesus had told them it would happen

air doesn’t matter if you say “ baptized with the Holy Ghost “ “ receive the gift of the Holy Ghost “ “ are filled with the holt ghost “ receive the spirit “ ect it’s just men saying the same thing with different words it’s all referencing receiving the Holy Ghost

Its all based on what Jesus said on the gospel

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭

jesus had to ascend before he sent the spirit it’s a main theme of the story of the Bible the promise of the holy ghost

Being told to receive the holy spirit , doesn’t say they received it , ot doesn’t say that part until chapter 2 of acts

There is the indwelling of the Spirit. This is when He confirms to our spirits that we are children of God.
Then there is the baptism of the Spirit. This is when we receive power to accomplish the works reserved for us in Christ.

They received the indwelling and the baptism in John 20. This was done locally, among a few. The power they received was the same power that Jesus received from the Father, even to the forgiveness of sins.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Earlier, Jesus made it clear that He was praying this for not only the disciples but for all who would receive Him:

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one..."

They received the baptism (the immersion into) in John 24 as a sign to the many. This was done as a witness to the world (the Apostles of the Lamb were designated as the first witnesses of the His life, death, and resurrection). Now that the Word was released into the world via the vessels of the Spirit (the disciples and all who would receive Jesus as the Christ) there was an accompanying display of power as a witness.

This pattern (of the indwelling of the Spirit and the immersion into the Spirit) is standard jurisprudence for the administration of the will of an estate. The estate in question is the Living God's.

1. Establishing the executor (in this case Jesus)
2. Establishing the beneficiaries (in this case "all those who currently believe Him and all those who will believe in Him")
3. The witness of the reading of the will (in this case not only the Apostles of the Lamb but the world: the estate of God extends to "whosoever will")
4. The distribution of assets. (in this case "All that the Father has")

Some may argue that the Spirit is actually the executor of the estate. I cannot refute this: The Spirit takes of what is Christ's and distributes it to the benefactors

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."

Between the Spirit and the Son there is no schism: the Spirit only speaks what He receives from the Son. In legal terms the Spirit is an exact representation of the Heir, who is Christ. The comfort in this is that all the Spirit speaks carries with it the full weight of the Son's authority. My conclusion: first the natural then the spiritual. The first natural witness was Jesus the man. The last spiritual witness was Christ the Life-Giving Spirit. Therefore: there is an equal witness in the earth and in the spiritual realm.

"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

It's time that we understand "will" as a legal treatise backed by the full faith and credit of the Kingdom of Son of His Love, and not merely "whatever God wants to do".

They received the Holy Ghost in the Upper Room at Pentecost.......