Acts 8:36-39 NIV1984

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 8:26-40

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 8:36

And as they went on their way ,.... In the road from Jerusalem to Gaza; Philip preaching, and the eunuch hearing, and conversing in a religious and spiritual way together; and Beza says in one exemplar it is added, "conferring one with another"; about the person and office of Christ, the doctrines of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it; as appears by what follows, both by the eunuch's request to be admitted to baptism, and his confession of faith: they came unto a certain water ; which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:37

And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest ,.... Intimating, that if he did not believe, he had no right to that ordinance; though he was a proselyte to the Jewish religion, a serious and devout man, and was employed in a religious way, when Philip came up to him, and was very desirous of being instructed in the knowledge of divine things; and yet notwithstanding all this, he had no right to the ordinance of baptism, unless he had faith in Christ, and made a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:38

And he commanded the chariot to stand still ,.... That is, the eunuch ordered his chariot driver to stop; for to him it better agrees to give this order than to Philip; though otherwise the words are so placed, that it would be difficult to say who gave the command. And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him : upon which Calvin has this note; "hence we see what was the manner of baptizing with the ancients, for they plunged the whole body... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:39

And when they were come up out of the water ,.... Which is another circumstance, showing that baptism was then performed by immersion; with this compare Matthew 3:16 and so it is said of the high priest, when he washed himself on the day of atonement, ירד וטבל עלה , "he went down and dipped, and came up" F13 Misna Yoma, c. 3. sect. 4. 6. & 7. sect. 3. 4. ; and so any other person that was obliged to dipping on any account, ירד וטבל ועלה , "went down and dipped, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:36

See, here is water - He was not willing to omit the first opportunity that presented itself of his taking upon himself the profession of the Gospel. By this we may see that Philip had explained the whole of the Christian faith to him, and the way by which believers were brought into the Christian Church. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:37

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God - He believed that Jesus, whom Philip preached to him, was The Christ or Messiah, and consequently the Son of God. This whole verse is omitted by ABCG, several others of the first authority, Erpen's edit. of the Arabic, the Syriac, the Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, and some of the Slavonic: almost all the critics declare against it as spurious. Griesbach has left it out of the text; and Professor White in his Crisews says, " Hic versus certissime... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:38

And they went down - They alighted from the chariot into the water. While Philip was instructing him, and he professed his faith in Christ, he probably plunged himself under the water, as this was the plan which appears to have been generally followed among the Jews in their baptisms; but the person who had received has confession of faith was he to whom the baptism was attributed, as it was administered by his authority. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:39

The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip - Perhaps this means no more than that the Holy Spirit suggested to the mind of Philip that he should withdraw abruptly from the eunuch, and thus leave him to pursue his journey, reflecting on the important incidents which had taken place. Some suppose that the angel of the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord, are the same person throughout this chapter. There is a remarkable reading in the Codex Alexandrinus which exists thus in two lines: - ... read more

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:36

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:37

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:38

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:39

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:36

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:37

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:38

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:39

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