Acts 8:26-40
Christian Standard Bible
The Conversion of the Ethiopian Official
26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.[a](A)) 27 So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch(B) and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem(C) 28 and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.”(D)
30 When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb is silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will describe his generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.[b](E)
34 The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?” 35 Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.(F)
36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” [c] 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord(G) carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip appeared in[d] Azotus,[e] and he was traveling and preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.(H)
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Acts 8:26-40
International Standard Version
Philip Tells an Ethiopian about Jesus
26 Now an angel of the Lord told Philip, “Get up and go south on the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a deserted road.” 27 So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, who was a member of the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was in charge of all her treasures and had come up to Jerusalem to worship. 28 Now he was returning home, seated in his chariot, and reading from the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Approach that chariot and stay near it.” 30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah out loud.
Philip[a] asked, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
31 The man[b] replied, “How can I unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. 32 This was the passage of Scripture he was reading:
“Like a sheep he was led away to be slaughtered,
and like a lamb is silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation, justice was denied him.
Who can describe his descendants?[c]
For his life is taken away from the earth.”[d]
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet talking about? Himself? Or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began to speak, and, starting from this Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s some water. What keeps me from being baptized?”[e] 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and Philip[f] baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing and did not see Philip[g] again. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus. As he was passing through that region,[h] he kept proclaiming the good news in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 8:30 Lit. He
- Acts 8:31 Lit. He
- Acts 8:33 Or generation
- Acts 8:33 Cf. Isa 53:7-8 (LXX)
- Acts 8:36 Other mss. read 37 Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He replied, “I believe that Jesus the Messiah is the Son of God.”
- Acts 8:38 Lit. he
- Acts 8:39 Lit. him
- Acts 8:40 The Gk. lacks the region
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