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Bildad Says God Rewards the Good

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,


“How long will you say these things?
And will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

“Does God pervert justice?
Or does [a]the Almighty pervert righteousness?

“If your children have sinned against Him,
Then He has handed them over to the power of their transgression and punished them.

“If you would [diligently] seek God
And implore the compassion and favor of the Almighty,

Then, if you are pure and upright,
Surely now He will awaken for you
And restore your righteous place.

“Though your beginning was insignificant,
Yet your end will greatly increase.


“Inquire, please, of past generations,
And consider and apply yourself to the things searched out by their fathers.

“For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,
Because our days on earth are [like] a shadow [just a breath or a vapor].
10 
“Will they (the fathers) not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their hearts [the deepest part of their nature]?

11 
“Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the rushes or reed grass grow without water?
12 
“While it is still green (in flower) and not cut down,
Yet it withers before any other plant [when without water].
13 
“So are the paths of all who forget God;
And the hope of the godless will perish,
14 
For his confidence is fragile and breaks,
And his trust is [like] a spider’s web.
15 
“He trusts in his house, but it does not stand;
He holds tightly to it, but it does not endure.
16 
“He thrives and prospers [like a green plant] before the sun,
And his branches spread out over his garden.
17 
“His [godless] roots are wrapped around a pile of rocks,
And he gazes at a house of stones.
18 
“If he is snatched from his place [in the garden],
Then his place will forget him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’
19 
“Behold, this is the joy of His way;
And from out of the dust others will spring up and grow [to take his place].
20 
“Behold, God will not reject a man of integrity,
Nor will He strengthen or support evildoers.
21 
“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
And your lips with joyful shouting [if you are found blameless].
22 
“Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
And the tents of the wicked will be no longer.”

Job Says There Is No Arbitrator between God and Man

Then Job answered and said,


“Yes, I know it is true.
But how can a mortal man be right before God?

“If one should want to contend or dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?

It is God who removes the mountains, and they do not know it,
When He overturns them in His anger;

Who shakes the earth out of its place,
And its pillars tremble;

Who commands the sun, and it does not shine;
Who seals up the stars [from view];

Who alone stretches out the heavens
And tramples down the [b]waves of the sea;

Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the [vast starry] spaces of the south;
10 
Who does great things, [beyond understanding,] unfathomable,
Yes, marvelous and wondrous things without number.
11 
“Behold, He passes by me, and I do not see Him;
He moves past me, but I do not perceive Him.
12 
“Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back?
Who will say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

13 
“God will not turn back His anger;
The [proud] helpers of Rahab [the arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.
14 
“How can I answer Him [and plead my case],
Choosing my words [to reason] with Him?
15 
For though I were righteous, I could not answer.
I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.
16 
“If I called and He answered me,
I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 
“For He bruises me with a tempest
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 
“He will not allow me to catch my breath,
But fills and saturates me with bitterness.
19 
“If it is a matter of strength and power, behold, He is mighty!
And if of justice, who can summon and challenge Him?
20 
“Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty;
Though I am blameless, He would denounce me as guilty.
21 
“[Though] I am blameless,
I do not care about myself;
I despise my life.
22 
“It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He destroys [both] the blameless and the wicked.’
23 
“When [His] scourge kills suddenly,
He mocks at the despair of the innocent.
24 
“The earth is given into the hands of the wicked;
He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blind to justice].
If it is not He, then who is it [that is responsible for all this injustice]?

25 
“Now my days are swifter than a runner;
They vanish, they see no good.
26 
“They pass by like the [swift] boats made of reeds,
Like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.
27 
“If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will leave off my sad appearance, and be cheerful and brighten up,’
28 
I am afraid of all my pains and worries [yet to come];
I know that You will not acquit me and leave me unpunished.
29 
“I am accounted wicked and held guilty;
Why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?
30 
“If I were to wash myself with snow
And cleanse my hands with lye,
31 
You would still plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would hate me [and refuse to cover my foul body].
32 
“For God is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I may answer Him,
That we may go to court and judgment together.
33 
“There is no arbitrator between us,
Who could lay his hand upon us both [would that there were].(A)
34 
“Let Him take His rod away from me,
And let not the dread and fear of Him terrify me.
35 
Then I would speak [my defense] and not fear Him;
But I am not like that in myself.

Job Despairs of God’s Dealings

10 “I am disgusted with my life and loathe it!
I will give free expression to my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

“I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me [and declare me guilty]!
Show me why You contend and argue and struggle with me.

‘Does it indeed seem right to You to oppress,
To despise and reject the work of Your hands,
And to look with favor on the schemes of the wicked?

‘Do You have eyes of flesh?
Do You see as a man sees?

‘Are Your days as the days of a mortal,
Are Your years as man’s years,

That You seek my guilt
And search for my sin?

‘Although You know that I am not guilty or wicked,
Yet there is no one who can rescue me from Your hand.


‘Your hands have formed and made me altogether.
Would You [turn around and] destroy me?

‘Remember now, that You have made me as clay;
So will You turn me into dust again?
10 
‘Have You not poured me out like milk
And curdled me like cheese?
11 
‘[You have] clothed me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 
‘You have granted me life and lovingkindness;
And Your providence (divine care, supervision) has preserved my spirit.
13 
‘Yet these [present evils] You have hidden in Your heart [since my creation]:
I know that this was within You [in Your purpose and thought].
14 
‘If I sin, then You would take note and observe me,
And You would not acquit me of my guilt.
15 
‘If I am wicked, woe to me [for judgment comes]!
And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.
For I am sated and filled with disgrace and the sight of my misery.
16 
‘Should I lift my head up, You would hunt me like a lion;
And again You would show Your marvelous power against me.
17 
‘You renew Your witnesses against me
And increase Your indignation and anger toward me;
Hardship after hardship is with me [attacking me time after time].

18 
‘Why then did You bring me out of the womb?
Would that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
19 
‘I should have been as though I had not existed;
[I should have been] carried from the womb to the grave.’
20 
“Would He not let my few days alone,
Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer
21 
Before I go—and I shall not return—
To the land of darkness and the deep shadow [of death],
22 
The [sunless] land of utter gloom as darkness itself,
[The land] of the shadow of death, without order,
And [where] it shines as [thick] darkness.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 8:3 Heb Shaddai.
  2. Job 9:8 Lit high places.

Bildad

Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“How long will you say such things?(B)
    Your words are a blustering wind.(C)
Does God pervert justice?(D)
    Does the Almighty pervert what is right?(E)
When your children sinned against him,
    he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.(F)
But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead(G) with the Almighty,(H)
if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf(I)
    and restore you to your prosperous state.(J)
Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous(K) will your future be.(L)

“Ask the former generation(M)
    and find out what their ancestors learned,
for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,(N)
    and our days on earth are but a shadow.(O)
10 Will they not instruct(P) you and tell you?
    Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?(Q)
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?(R)
    Can reeds(S) thrive without water?
12 While still growing and uncut,
    they wither more quickly than grass.(T)
13 Such is the destiny(U) of all who forget God;(V)
    so perishes the hope of the godless.(W)
14 What they trust in is fragile[a];
    what they rely on is a spider’s web.(X)
15 They lean on the web,(Y) but it gives way;
    they cling to it, but it does not hold.(Z)
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
    spreading its shoots(AA) over the garden;(AB)
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
    and looks for a place among the stones.
18 But when it is torn from its spot,
    that place disowns(AC) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’(AD)
19 Surely its life withers(AE) away,
    and[b] from the soil other plants grow.(AF)

20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless(AG)
    or strengthen the hands of evildoers.(AH)
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter(AI)
    and your lips with shouts of joy.(AJ)
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame,(AK)
    and the tents(AL) of the wicked will be no more.”(AM)

Job

Then Job replied:

“Indeed, I know that this is true.
    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(AN)
Though they wished to dispute with him,(AO)
    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(AP)
His wisdom(AQ) is profound, his power is vast.(AR)
    Who has resisted(AS) him and come out unscathed?(AT)
He moves mountains(AU) without their knowing it
    and overturns them in his anger.(AV)
He shakes the earth(AW) from its place
    and makes its pillars tremble.(AX)
He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;(AY)
    he seals off the light of the stars.(AZ)
He alone stretches out the heavens(BA)
    and treads on the waves of the sea.(BB)
He is the Maker(BC) of the Bear[c] and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.(BD)
10 He performs wonders(BE) that cannot be fathomed,
    miracles that cannot be counted.(BF)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
    when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.(BG)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?(BH)
    Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(BI)
13 God does not restrain his anger;(BJ)
    even the cohorts of Rahab(BK) cowered at his feet.

14 “How then can I dispute with him?
    How can I find words to argue with him?(BL)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(BM)
    I could only plead(BN) with my Judge(BO) for mercy.(BP)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(BQ)
17 He would crush me(BR) with a storm(BS)
    and multiply(BT) my wounds for no reason.(BU)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.(BV)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(BW)
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[d]?(BX)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(BY)

21 “Although I am blameless,(BZ)
    I have no concern for myself;(CA)
    I despise my own life.(CB)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
    ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(CC)
23 When a scourge(CD) brings sudden death,
    he mocks the despair of the innocent.(CE)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,(CF)
    he blindfolds its judges.(CG)
    If it is not he, then who is it?(CH)

25 “My days are swifter than a runner;(CI)
    they fly away without a glimpse of joy.(CJ)
26 They skim past(CK) like boats of papyrus,(CL)
    like eagles swooping down on their prey.(CM)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,(CN)
    I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I still dread(CO) all my sufferings,
    for I know you will not hold me innocent.(CP)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
    why should I struggle in vain?(CQ)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap(CR)
    and my hands(CS) with cleansing powder,(CT)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit(CU)
    so that even my clothes would detest me.(CV)

32 “He is not a mere mortal(CW) like me that I might answer him,(CX)
    that we might confront each other in court.(CY)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(CZ)
    someone to bring us together,(DA)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(DB)
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.(DC)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(DD)
    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(DE)

10 “I loathe my very life;(DF)
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.(DG)
I say to God:(DH) Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges(DI) you have against me.(DJ)
Does it please you to oppress me,(DK)
    to spurn the work of your hands,(DL)
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?(DM)
Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?(DN)
Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,(DO)
that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin(DP)
though you know that I am not guilty(DQ)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?(DR)

“Your hands shaped(DS) me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?(DT)
Remember that you molded me like clay.(DU)
    Will you now turn me to dust again?(DV)
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
    and curdle me like cheese,
11 clothe me with skin and flesh
    and knit me together(DW) with bones and sinews?
12 You gave me life(DX) and showed me kindness,(DY)
    and in your providence(DZ) watched over(EA) my spirit.

13 “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
    and I know that this was in your mind:(EB)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me(EC)
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.(ED)
15 If I am guilty(EE)—woe to me!(EF)
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,(EG)
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in[e] my affliction.(EH)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion(EI)
    and again display your awesome power against me.(EJ)
17 You bring new witnesses against me(EK)
    and increase your anger toward me;(EL)
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.(EM)

18 “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?(EN)
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.(EO)
19 If only I had never come into being,
    or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!(EP)
20 Are not my few days(EQ) almost over?(ER)
    Turn away from me(ES) so I can have a moment’s joy(ET)
21 before I go to the place of no return,(EU)
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,(EV)
22 to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness(EW) and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.”(EX)

Footnotes

  1. Job 8:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Job 8:19 Or Surely all the joy it has / is that
  3. Job 9:9 Or of Leo
  4. Job 9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.
  5. Job 10:15 Or and aware of

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

Then Job answered and said,

I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

10 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,

That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;

16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

26 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” (This is a desert road). 27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading:

Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 
In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him].
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”(A)

34 The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation]. 36 As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, “Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?” 37 [a][Philip said to him, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38 And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at [b]Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the good news [of salvation] to all the cities, until he came to [c]Caesarea [Maritima].

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:37 Early mss do not contain this v.
  2. Acts 8:40 OT Ashdod.
  3. Acts 8:40 Caesarea Maritima (Caesarea-on-the-Sea) was a coastal city and artificial harbor built by Herod the Great. It was an important city, both politically and militarily, and its harbor was the largest on the eastern Mediterranean coast. It was the capital of Judea, and the official residence of the prefects and procurators appointed by Rome. Both Pontius Pilate (prefect, a.d. 26-36) and Antonius Felix (procurator, a.d. 52-60) would have been based here during their respective terms of office.

Philip and the Ethiopian

26 Now an angel(A) of the Lord said to Philip,(B) “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a](C) eunuch,(D) an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,(E) 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told(F) Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”[b](G)

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began(H) with that very passage of Scripture(I) and told him the good news(J) about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”(K) [37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,(L) and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns(M) until he reached Caesarea.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:27 That is, from the southern Nile region
  2. Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7,8 (see Septuagint)
  3. Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include here Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

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