What Does Acts 10:38 Mean?
Acts 10:38 describes how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. This verse highlights the heart of Jesus’ mission - bringing freedom, healing, and hope to those in need, showing that God’s power is active in love and service.
Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Luke
Genre
Narrative
Date
Approximately AD 62
Key People
Key Themes
Key Takeaways
- Jesus was empowered by the Spirit to heal and free the oppressed.
- God’s power is for all who fear Him, not just Jews.
- The same Spirit that anointed Jesus now works through believers.
Context of Acts 10:38: A Turning Point for the Gentiles
Acts 10:38 occurs when Peter, a Jewish follower of Jesus, shares the gospel with Cornelius, a Roman centurion, marking the first time Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit as Jewish believers did.
Up until this point, most followers of Jesus were Jewish and kept strict religious boundaries, avoiding close contact with non-Jews. But God gave Peter a vision showing that no person is 'unclean,' preparing him to visit Cornelius, a God-fearing outsider. As Peter speaks, he summarizes Jesus’ ministry by saying, 'how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.'
This moment breaks old barriers - God’s power is available to everyone who fears Him and does what’s right, as shown when the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentile listeners as it did on the apostles.
The Anointing of Jesus and the Spirit's Power Against Evil
Peter’s description of Jesus being anointed with the Holy Spirit and power directly echoes Isaiah 61:1-2, where the prophet announces that God’s chosen one will bring good news to the poor, freedom for the captives, and comfort to the broken - marking the start of God’s promised new age.
Isaiah 61:1 says, 'The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.' Jesus Himself quoted this passage in Luke 4:18-19 and declared it fulfilled in His ministry. In Acts 10:38, Peter affirms that Jesus was not merely inspired - He was empowered by God’s Spirit to confront suffering and evil. This anointing wasn’t symbolic. It launched a real, spiritual battle against the devil’s oppression through healings and deliverance. The phrase 'healing all who were oppressed by the devil' shows that Jesus saw sickness and brokenness as more than natural realities; he regarded them as signs of the enemy’s grip on creation.
The timing is also significant - this outpouring of power marks the beginning of the end-times deliverance God promised. While the Spirit came on prophets in small measures in the past, it now rests fully on Jesus, signaling that God’s kingdom has arrived powerfully. And this same Spirit, once limited to Israel, is now poured out on Gentiles like Cornelius and his household in the very next verses (Acts 10:44-48), showing that the power anointing Jesus is now spreading to all nations. The barrier between Jew and Gentile is not only socially broken - it is spiritually dismantled by the same Spirit who empowered Jesus.
Jesus didn’t just preach good news - He brought it to life by breaking the devil’s grip on people’s bodies and souls.
This means Jesus’ ministry was not merely about moral teaching. It was a divine rescue mission. And now, through the Spirit, that same mission continues beyond Jesus’ earthly life. The power that drove out darkness then is still at work today in those who follow Him.
God’s Power for Us: Continuing Jesus’ Mission Today
While Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power to bring freedom and healing, that same Spirit is now given to all who follow Him, equipping us to continue His mission in everyday ways.
The power Jesus showed was not merely for miracles. It was about restoring people’s dignity, health, and connection to God. Now, through the Holy Spirit, ordinary believers are empowered to live out this same compassion, not through flashy signs alone, but through acts of kindness, justice, and presence.
The same Spirit that empowered Jesus is at work in believers today, bringing healing and hope to a hurting world.
This means our faith is not merely about attending church or holding correct beliefs. It is about participating in God’s ongoing work to heal a broken world. The Spirit helps us confront not only physical suffering but also the oppression of loneliness, injustice, and fear. When the Spirit fell on Gentiles in Acts 10, it showed God’s love has no borders, reminding us that this mission includes everyone - no one is beyond God’s reach or unworthy of His care.
From Baptism to the Throne: The Spirit’s Anointing from Jesus to Us and Beyond
The anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power in Acts 10:38 isn’t an isolated moment - it’s the beginning of a divine chain that starts at His baptism, flows into the church at Pentecost, and culminates in the eternal reign of the Lamb in Revelation.
At Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit descended like a dove, and God declared, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased' (Matthew 3:17), marking the moment when the promised Messiah was publicly empowered for His mission. This anointing fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy and set the stage for Jesus’ ministry of healing and liberation. Now, in Acts 10:38, Peter looks back on that moment as the divine launch of God’s rescue mission.
But the story doesn’t end with Jesus. After His resurrection, He promised His followers the same empowering presence, and on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out on all believers (Acts 2:17-18), fulfilling Joel’s prophecy. Now, ordinary men and women - Jew and Gentile alike - are anointed not merely to witness but to participate in Jesus’ work. The power that drove out demons and healed the sick is now at work in the body of Christ. This outpouring is only the beginning: Revelation 22:1-2 describes the river of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, echoing Ezekiel’s vision of life‑giving water, showing that the Spirit’s work begun in Jesus will one day renew all creation.
The same Spirit who descended on Jesus at the Jordan now lives in us, turning ordinary believers into carriers of God’s kingdom power.
So the anointing of Jesus is both the model and the source of our calling. The same Spirit who empowered Him now lives in us, equipping us to bring light to darkness and hope to the broken - until that final day when the one 'who was anointed' returns as King of kings, and the Spirit’s work reaches its full and glorious end.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
Imagine feeling powerless in the face of someone’s pain - your friend’s depression, a neighbor’s financial crisis, or the loneliness of an elderly relative. You want to help, but you don’t know how. Acts 10:38 reminds us that Jesus didn’t wait for perfect circumstances or grand platforms - He went around doing good, powered by the Spirit. That same power is not reserved for saints of the past. It is available to you today. When you choose to show up, listen, or serve in a small but meaningful way, you are not merely being nice - you are joining Jesus in His mission. It’s not about fixing everything, but about being a channel of God’s presence, as He was with those oppressed by the devil. This changes how we see our ordinary lives: every act of kindness becomes a spiritual act, empowered by the same Spirit who raised Christ.
Personal Reflection
- Where in my life have I treated God’s power as something distant or only for 'spiritual experts,' instead of something active in everyday love and service?
- When have I seen someone 'oppressed' - not by demons in a movie sense, but by fear, shame, or hardship - and what would 'doing good' in that situation actually look like?
- How does knowing that the same Spirit who anointed Jesus now lives in me change the way I approach my relationships, work, or struggles this week?
A Challenge For You
This week, look for one specific opportunity to 'go about doing good' in a way that reflects Jesus’ compassion - not merely a kind thought, but a tangible action. It could be a meal for a struggling neighbor, a truthful but gentle word to a friend, or being fully present to someone who feels invisible. Then, before you act, pause and ask the Holy Spirit to work through you, remembering that you carry the same power that healed the broken in Jesus’ day.
A Prayer of Response
God, thank you for anointing Jesus with your Spirit to heal, free, and love people like me. I’m amazed that the same power that drove out darkness is now at work in me. Help me not to shrink back or think I’m too small to make a difference. Fill me afresh with your Spirit, and show me where I can go and do good today. Use my hands, my words, my presence to bring your hope to someone who’s hurting. Amen.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Acts 10:36-37
Sets the stage by recalling the gospel message and John’s baptism, leading directly to the declaration of Jesus’ anointing in verse 38.
Acts 10:39
Continues Peter’s speech, shifting from Jesus’ ministry to His death and resurrection, showing the full scope of His mission.
Connections Across Scripture
Isaiah 61:1
Prophesies the anointing of the Messiah with the Spirit to bring good news and freedom, directly fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry.
Luke 4:18
Jesus publicly claims the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, confirming His divine anointing and mission of healing and liberation.
Acts 2:17
Joel’s prophecy fulfilled at Pentecost, showing the Spirit’s power now poured out on all people, continuing Jesus’ work.