Acts 8:4-40

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 8:4-13

Samson's riddle is here again unriddled: Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness. The persecution that was designed to extirpate the church was by the overruling providence of God made an occasion of the enlargement of it. Christ had said, I am come to send fire on the earth; and they thought, by scattering those who were kindled with that fire, to have put it out, but instead of this they did but help to spread it. I. Here is a general account of what was done by... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 8:14-25

God had wonderfully owned Philip in his work as an evangelist at Samaria, but he could do no more than an evangelist; there were some peculiar powers reserved to the apostles, for the keeping up of the dignity of their office, and here we have an account of what was done by two of them there?Peter and John. The twelve kept together at Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), and thither these good tidings were brought them that Samaria had received the word of God (Acts 8:14), that a great harvest of souls was... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 8:26-40

We have here the story of the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch to the faith of Christ, by whom, we have reason to think, the knowledge of Christ was sent into that country where he lived, and that scripture fulfilled, Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands (one of the first of the nations) unto God, Ps. 68:31. I. Philip the evangelist is directed into the road where he would meet with this Ethiopian, Acts 8:26. When the churches in Samaria were settled, and had ministers appointed them,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:1-4

Acts 8:1-40 is an important chapter in the history of the Church. The Church began by being a purely Jewish institution. Acts 6:1-15 shows the first murmurings of the great debate about the acceptance of the Gentiles. Stephen had had a mind far above national delimitations. Acts 8:1-40 shows the Church reaching out. Persecution scattered the Church abroad and where they went they took their gospel. Into Acts 8:1-40 comes Philip who, like Stephen, was one of the Seven and who is to be... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:1-4

8:1-4 At that time a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. They were all scattered abroad throughout the districts of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. Pious men carried Stephen away to bury him, and they mourned greatly over him. As for Saul, he ravaged the church. He went into house after house and dragged out both men and women and put them under arrest. The death of Stephen was the signal for an outbreak of persecution which compelled the Christians to... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:5-13

8:5-13 Those who were scattered abroad went throughout the country telling the message of the good news. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. The crowds listened attentively to what Philip had to say, as they heard his story and saw the signs which he performed. Many of them had unclean spirits, and the spirits, shouting loudly, came out of them; and many who were paralysed and lame were cured; and there was much rejoicing in that city. A man called... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:14-25

8:14-25 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they despatched Peter and John to them. They came down and prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet the Holy Spirit had fallen on no one. It was in the name of the Lord Jesus that they had been baptized. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he brought... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:26-40

8:26-40 The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip and said, "Rise and go to the south by the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza; that is Gaza in the desert." So he arose and went. Now, look you, an Ethiopian eunuch, an influential official of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury and who had gone to worship in Jerusalem, was on his way home. As he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to Philip, "Go and join yourself to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:4

Therefore they that were scattered abroad ,.... By reason of the persecution in Jerusalem: the seventy disciples, and other ministers of the word; or the hundred and twenty, excepting the apostles, went every where ; or went through the countries of Judea and Samaria, as far as Phenice, Cyrus, and Antioch: preaching the word ; the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions add, "of God", and so some copies; the Gospel, which is the word of God, and not man; which was not of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:5

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria ,.... The city which was formerly called Samaria, but now Sebaste; it had been destroyed by Hyrcanus, and was rebuilt by Herod; and called by him, in honour of Augustus, by the name of Sebaste F4 Joseph de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 2. sect. 7. & c. 21. sect. 2. Plin. l. 5. c. 13. ; and so R. Benjamin says F5 Itinerar. p. 38. , that "from Luz he came in a day to Sebaste, היא שומרון , "this is Samaria"; where yet may be discerned the... read more

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