{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
(886b)ousamen). 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.