Acts 8:14-40

8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem ¹  heard that Samaria had accepted the word ²  of God, they sent ³  Peter and John to them. 8:15 These two ⁴  went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 8:16 (For the Spirit ⁵  had not yet come upon ⁶  any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) ⁷  8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, ⁸  and they received the Holy Spirit. ⁹ 

8:18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit ¹⁰  was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 8:19 saying, “Give me this power ¹¹  too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, ¹²  because you thought you could acquire ¹³  God’s gift with money! 8:21 You have no share or part ¹⁴  in this matter ¹⁵  because your heart is not right before God! 8:22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord ¹⁶  that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart. ¹⁷  8:23 For I see that you are bitterly envious ¹⁸  and in bondage to sin.” 8:24 But Simon replied, ¹⁹  “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to ²⁰  me.”

8:25 So after Peter and John ²¹  had solemnly testified ²²  and spoken the word of the Lord, ²³  they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming ²⁴  the good news to many Samaritan villages ²⁵  as they went. ²⁶ 

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

8:26 Then an angel of the Lord ²⁷  said to Philip, ²⁸  “Get up and go south ²⁹  on the road that goes down from Jerusalem ³⁰  to Gaza.” (This is a desert ³¹  road.) ³²  8:27 So ³³  he got up ³⁴  and went. There ³⁵  he met ³⁶  an Ethiopian eunuch, ³⁷  a court official of Candace, ³⁸  queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He ³⁹  had come to Jerusalem to worship, ⁴⁰  8:28 and was returning home, sitting ⁴¹  in his chariot, reading ⁴²  the prophet Isaiah. 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 8:30 So Philip ran up ⁴³  to it ⁴⁴  and heard the man ⁴⁵  reading Isaiah the prophet. He ⁴⁶  asked him, ⁴⁷  “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 8:31 The man ⁴⁸  replied, “How in the world can I, ⁴⁹  unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32 Now the passage of scripture the man ⁵⁰  was reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did ⁵¹  not open his mouth.

8:33 In humiliation ⁵²  justice was taken from him. ⁵³ 

Who can describe his posterity? ⁵⁴ 

For his life was taken away ⁵⁵  from the earth.” ⁵⁶ 

8:34 Then the eunuch said ⁵⁷  to Philip, “Please tell me, ⁵⁸  who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?” ⁵⁹  8:35 So Philip started speaking, ⁶⁰  and beginning with this scripture ⁶¹  proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 8:36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me ⁶²  from being baptized?” 8:37 [[EMPTY]] ⁶³  8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, ⁶⁴  and Philip baptized ⁶⁵  him. 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but ⁶⁶  went on his way rejoicing. ⁶⁷  8:40 Philip, however, found himself ⁶⁸  at Azotus, ⁶⁹  and as he passed through the area, ⁷⁰  he proclaimed the good news ⁷¹  to all the towns ⁷²  until he came to Caesarea. ⁷³ 

[8:14]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:14]  ² tn Or “message.”

[8:14]  ³ sn They sent. The Jerusalem church with the apostles was overseeing the expansion of the church, as the distribution of the Spirit indicates in vv. 15-17.

[8:15]  ⁴ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the phrase “these two” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[8:16]  ⁵ tn Grk “For he”; the referent (the Spirit) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:16]  ⁶ tn Or “fallen on.”

[8:16]  ⁷ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[8:17]  ⁸ tn Grk “on them”; the referent (the Samaritans) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:17]  ⁹ sn They received the Holy Spirit. It is likely this special distribution of the Spirit took place because a key ethnic boundary was being crossed. Here are some of “those far off” of Acts 2:38-40.

[8:18]  ¹⁰ tc Most witnesses (Ì^45,74 A* C D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï latt sy bo) here read “the Holy Spirit” (τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, to pneuma to {agion), while a few key mss have simply τὸ πνεῦμα (א A^c B sa mae). Although it is possible that some scribes omitted τὸ ἅγιον because of its perceived superfluity (note vv. 15, 17, 19), it is far more likely that others added the adjective out of pious motives.

[8:19]  ¹¹ tn Or “ability”; Grk “authority.”

[8:20]  ¹² tn Grk “May your silver together with you be sent into destruction.” This is a strong curse. The gifts of God are sovereignly bestowed and cannot be purchased.

[8:20]  ¹³ tn Or “obtain.”

[8:21]  ¹⁴ tn The translation “share or part” is given by L&N 63.13.

[8:21]  ¹⁵ tn Since the semantic range for λόγος (logos) is so broad, a number of different translations could be given for the prepositional phrase here. Something along the lines of “in this thing” would work well, but is too colloquial for the present translation.

[8:22]  ¹⁶ tn Or “and implore the Lord.”

[8:22]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “that if possible the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.” The passive construction is somewhat awkward in contemporary English and has thus been converted to an active construction in the translation.

[8:23]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “in the gall of bitterness,” an idiom meaning to be particularly envious or resentful of someone. In this case Simon was jealous of the apostles’ power to bestow the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, and wanted that power for himself. The literal phrase does not convey this to the modern reader, and in fact some modern translations have simply rendered the phrase as involving bitterness, which misses the point of the envy on Simon’s part. See L&N 88.166. The OT images come from Deut 29:17-18 and Isa 58:6.

[8:24]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “Simon answered and said.”

[8:24]  ²⁰ tn Grk “may come upon.”

[8:25]  ²¹ tn Grk “after they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:25]  ²² tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and could be taken to refer specifically to the warning given to Simon in the preceding verses. However, a more general reference is more likely, referring to parting exhortations from Peter and John to the entire group of believers.

[8:25]  ²³ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[8:25]  ²⁴ tn Grk “they were returning to Jerusalem and were proclaiming.” The first imperfect is taken ingressively and the second is viewed iteratively (“proclaiming…as they went”).

[8:25]  ²⁵ sn By proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages, the apostles now actively share in the broader ministry the Hellenists had started.

[8:25]  ²⁶ tn “As they went” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the imperfect tense (see tn above).

[8:26]  ²⁷ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[8:26]  ²⁸ tn Grk “Lord spoke to Philip, saying.” The redundant participle λέγων (legwn) has not been translated.

[8:26]  ²⁹ tn Or “Get up and go about noon.” The phrase κατὰ μεσημβρίαν (kata meshmbrian) can be translated either “about noon” (L&N 67.74) or “toward the south” (L&N 82.4). Since the angel’s command appears to call for immediate action (“Get up”) and would not therefore need a time indicator, a directional reference (“toward the south”) is more likely here.

[8:26]  ³⁰ map For the location of Jerusalem see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:26]  ³¹ tn Or “wilderness.”

[8:26]  ³² tn The words “This is a desert road” are probably best understood as a comment by the author of Acts, but it is possible they form part of the angel’s speech to Philip, in which case the verse would read: “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza – the desert road.”

[8:27]  ³³ tn Grk “And,” but καί (kai) carries something of a resultative force in this context because what follows describes Philip’s response to the angel’s command.

[8:27]  ³⁴ tn Grk “So getting up he went.” The aorist participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:27]  ³⁵ tn Grk “And there.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[8:27]  ³⁶ tn Grk “and behold.” This expression is used to portray Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian in a vivid way. In the English translation this vividness is difficult to convey; it is necessary to supply the words “he met.”

[8:27]  ³⁷ sn The term eunuch normally referred to a man who had been castrated, but this was not always the case (see Gen 39:1 LXX, where Potiphar is called a eunuch). Such castrated individuals were preferred as court officials in the East, although Judaism opposed the practice. The Mosaic law excluded eunuchs from Israel (Deut 23:1), although God certainly accepted them (Isa 56:3-5; Wis 3:14). This individual was a high official, since he was said to be in charge of all her treasury. He may or may not have been a eunuch physically. He appears to be the first fully Gentile convert to Christianity, since the Samaritans mentioned previously (Acts 8:4-25) were regarded as half-breeds.

[8:27]  ³⁸ tn Or “the Candace” (the title of the queen of the Ethiopians). The term Κανδάκης (Kandakh") is much more likely a title rather than a proper name (like Pharaoh, which is a title); see L&N 37.77. A few, however, still take the word to be the name of the queen (L&N 93.209). BDAG 507 s.v. Κανδάκη, treats the term as a title and lists classical usage by Strabo (Geography 17.1.54) and others.

[8:27]  ³⁹ tn Grk “who was over all her treasury, who.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “he” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

[8:27]  ⁴⁰ sn Since this man had come to Jerusalem to worship, he may have been a proselyte to Judaism. This event is a precursor to Acts 10.

[8:28]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “and was sitting.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[8:28]  ⁴² tn Grk “and was reading.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[8:30]  ⁴³ tn The participle προσδραμών (prosdramwn) is regarded as attendant circumstance.

[8:30]  ⁴⁴ tn The words “to it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[8:30]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “heard him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:30]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[8:30]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “he said”; but since what follows is a question, it is better English style to translate the introduction to the question “he asked him.”

[8:31]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:31]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “How am I able, unless…” The translation is based on the force of the conjunction γάρ (gar) in this context. The translation “How in the world can I?” is given in BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 1.f.

[8:32]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:32]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “does.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the first line of the quotation (“he was led like a sheep to slaughter”), which has an aorist passive verb normally translated as a past tense in English.

[8:33]  ⁵² tc ‡ Most later mss (C E Ψ 33^vid Ï sy) read “In his humiliation,” adding αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) after ταπεινώσει (tapeinwsei, “humiliation”), while the earlier and better witnesses lack the pronoun (so Ì⁷⁴ א A B 1739 pc lat). However, the LXX of Isa 53:8 also lacks the pronoun, supplying motivation for scribes to omit it here. At the same time, scribes would also be motivated to add the pronoun both for clarity’s sake (note the similar impulse that led to the addition of δέ [de] by many of the same mss at the beginning of the next line) and to give balance to the lines (the pronoun is indisputably used five other times in vv. 32-33 in quoting Isa 53). On balance, the shorter reading is preferred.

[8:33]  ⁵³ tn Or “justice was denied him”; Grk “his justice was taken away.”

[8:33]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “family; or “origin.” The meaning of γενεά (genea) in the quotation is uncertain; BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 4 suggests “family history.”

[8:33]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “is taken away.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the rest of the quotation.

[8:33]  ⁵⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 53:7-8.

[8:34]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “answered and said.” The redundant participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqei") has not been translated.

[8:34]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “I beg you,” “I ask you.”

[8:34]  ⁵⁹ sn About himself, or about someone else? It is likely in 1st century Judaism this would have been understood as either Israel or Isaiah.

[8:35]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “opening his mouth” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:35]  ⁶¹ sn Beginning with this scripture. The discussion likely included many of the scriptures Acts has already noted for the reader in earlier speeches. At the least, readers of Acts would know what other scriptures might be meant.

[8:36]  ⁶² tn Or “What prevents me.” The rhetorical question means, “I should get baptized, right?”

[8:37]  ⁶³ tc A few later mss (E 36 323 453 945 1739 1891 pc) add, with minor variations, 8:37 “He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ He replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” Verse 37 is lacking in {Ì^45,74 א A B C 33 614 vg sy^p,h co}. It is clearly not a part of the original text of Acts. The variant is significant in showing how some in the early church viewed a confession of faith. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[8:38]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch.” Since this is somewhat redundant in English, it was simplified to “and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water.”

[8:38]  ⁶⁵ sn Philip baptized. Again, someone beyond the Twelve has ministered an ordinance of faith.

[8:39]  ⁶⁶ tn BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 2 indicates that under certain circumstances γάρ (gar) has the same meaning as δέ (de).

[8:39]  ⁶⁷ sn Note that the response to the gospel is rejoicing (joy, cf. Acts 11:23; 13:48).

[8:40]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “appeared.”

[8:40]  ⁶⁹ sn Azotus was a city on the coast of southern Palestine, known as Ashdod in OT times.

[8:40]  ⁷⁰ tn The words “the area” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[8:40]  ⁷¹ tn Or “he preached the gospel.”

[8:40]  ⁷² tn Or “cities.”

[8:40]  ⁷³ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.