The Book of Acts Cont.
Philip and the Ethiopian
Acts 8:26-40 NIV; 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “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 eunuch, 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, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his
chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told 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.”34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me,
please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news 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?” [37] [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 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, 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 until he reached Caesarea.
Philip and the Ethiopian
Review Questions:
1. Where can a believer find God’s instructions for his/her life?
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2. Who gave Philip a message to travel to Gaza?
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3. What did Philip see when he was traveling on the desert road?
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4. What was the Ethiopian’s job?
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5. Who told Philip to stay near the chariot?
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6. How did Philip help the Ethiopian man?
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7. Why did the Ethiopian want to be baptized?
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8. Who took Philip away so the Ethiopian didn’t see him anymore?
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9. Why was it important for Philip to immediately obey the Lord’s instructions?
Memory Verse
John 10:27 NIV
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
