Acts 8:26-40

Contemporary English Version

Philip and an Ethiopian Official

²⁶ The Lord's angel said to Philip, “Go south^[a] along the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”^{[b] 27} So Philip left.

An important Ethiopian official happened to be going along that road in his chariot. He was the chief treasurer for Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. The official had gone to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸ and was now on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot, reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹ The Spirit told Philip to catch up with the chariot. ³⁰ Philip ran up close and heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹ The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him.

^32 (A) The man was reading the passage that said,

³⁴ The official said to Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ So Philip began at this place in the Scriptures and explained the good news about Jesus.

^36-37 As they were going along the road, they came to a place where there was some water. The official said, “Look! Here is some water. Why can't I be baptized?”^{[c] 38} He ordered the chariot to stop. Then they both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

³⁹ After they had come out of the water, the Lord's Spirit took Philip away. The official never saw him again, but he was very happy as he went on his way.

⁴⁰ Philip later appeared in Azotus. He went from town to town, all the way to Caesarea, telling people about Jesus.