Acts 8:26-40

GOD’S WORD Translation

Philip Tells an Ethiopian about Jesus

²⁶ An angel from the Lord said to Philip, “Get up, and take the desert road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷ So Philip went.

An Ethiopian man who had come to Jerusalem to worship was on his way home. The man was a eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of all the treasures of Queen Candace of Ethiopia. ²⁸ As the official rode along in his carriage, he was reading the prophet Isaiah out loud.

²⁹ The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that carriage, and stay close to it.”

³⁰ Philip ran to the carriage and could hear the official reading the prophet Isaiah out loud. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”

³¹ The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to sit with him in his carriage.

³² This was the part of the Scriptures that the official was reading:

³⁴ The official said to Philip, “I would like to know who the prophet is talking about. Is he talking about himself or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip spoke. Starting with that passage, Philip told the official the Good News about Jesus.

³⁶ As they were going along the road, they came to some water. The official said to Philip, “Look, there’s some water. What can keep me from being baptized?” ^{[a] 38} The official ordered the carriage to stop. He and Philip stepped into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official joyfully continued on his way and didn’t see Philip again.

⁴⁰ Philip found himself in the city of Azotus. He traveled through all the cities and spread the Good News until he came to the city of Caesarea.