Acts 8 33

Acts 8:33 kjv

In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

Acts 8:33 nkjv

In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth."

Acts 8:33 niv

In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."

Acts 8:33 esv

In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."

Acts 8:33 nlt

He was humiliated and received no justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."

Acts 8 verses

Acts 8 33 Meaning

Acts 8:33 is a direct quotation from the Septuagint (LXX) version of Isaiah 53:7-8, interpreted by Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch as a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It describes the Messiah's profound humiliation, His experience of a perverted and unjust judicial process, His mysterious unique origin or lack of progeny in His earthly life, and His ultimate death, being cut off from the realm of the living. This verse highlights the paradox of the all-powerful Son of God undergoing such suffering and rejection.

Acts 8 33 Context

This verse is spoken by Philip the Evangelist to an Ethiopian eunuch in Acts chapter 8. Following severe persecution against the church in Jerusalem after Stephen's martyrdom, believers like Philip were scattered, spreading the Gospel. Philip was supernaturally directed to encounter a highly influential Ethiopian official, who was returning from Jerusalem, having gone to worship. The eunuch, a God-fearer (possibly a proselyte to Judaism), was deeply engaged in reading the prophet Isaiah while riding in his chariot. The specific passage he was reading was Isaiah 53, the prophecy of the Suffering Servant, but he did not understand its meaning, famously asking, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" (Acts 8:31). Philip, empowered by the Spirit, seized this providential opportunity, starting precisely from this scripture to preach Jesus to him. Historically, many Jews found it difficult to reconcile the prophecies of a suffering Messiah with those of a triumphant King, leading to confusion over passages like Isaiah 53. The Christian message resolved this apparent contradiction in the person of Jesus Christ, making passages like Acts 8:33 pivotal for evangelism and understanding Messianic identity.

Acts 8 33 Word analysis

• In His humiliation (Ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ - En tē tapeinōsei autou):
  • ταπείνωσις (tapeinosis): Meaning abasement, degradation, low estate, deep humiliation, or oppression. It signifies a state of being brought low, often involving suffering and disgrace.
  • This phrase captures the full spectrum of Christ's condescension and suffering, from His incarnation to His ignominious death on the cross. It speaks to the emptying of Himself as described in Phil 2:7, embracing human weakness and earthly limitations for the purpose of salvation.
  • It points to the deliberate path of servanthood and suffering that defined His earthly ministry.
• His judgment (ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ - hē krisis autou):
  • κρίσις (krisis): Meaning judgment, verdict, legal process, or decision. Here, it refers to the legal or judicial treatment, or the administration of justice.
  • In the context of Christ, it directly implies the legal proceedings He faced.
• was taken away (ἤρθη - ērethē):
  • ἤρθη (ērethē): Aorist passive indicative of αἴρω (airō), meaning to lift, take up, carry away, or remove. In passive voice, it means "was removed" or "was carried away."
  • The passive voice suggests an action done to Him. In combination with "judgment," it conveys that His just rights or due legal process were completely disregarded. He received no true justice; His verdict was already determined by those in power, effectively denying Him any fair hearing. This underscores the unjust and fraudulent nature of His trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate.
• And who will declare (Τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται - Tēn genean autou tis diēgēsetai?):
  • γενεὰ (genea): A complex term with several possible meanings: (1) generation (contemporaries, people of a certain era), (2) lineage, race, posterity, or offspring, (3) mode of origin or unique nature.
    • In the context of the LXX Isaiah 53:8 (which Acts 8:33 quotes), its meaning has been extensively debated:
      • His posterity: Who will recount His spiritual offspring (believers)? This aligns with Isa 53:10 ("He shall see His offspring").
      • His duration/continuity: Who will describe His unending life, His timeless nature as the Son? His unique divine generation is beyond human description.
      • His unique, sinless origin/nature: Given He was cut off without children, who would adequately describe His distinctive and unprecedented origin or identity?
      • His contemporaries/family: Who of His contemporaries truly understood His purpose when He was "cut off"? Or a rhetorical question indicating He was cut off without leaving physical descendants, unlike most Jewish patriarchs. The Ethiopian eunuch (who by custom couldn't have descendants) may find resonance here.
  • διηγήσεται (diēgēsetai): Future indicative middle of διηγέομαι (diēgeomai), meaning to recount, narrate fully, declare completely. The question is rhetorical, implying no one truly can, emphasizing the Messiah's unparalleled nature.
  • This phrase emphasizes the unique, divine identity of Jesus Christ, the inexplicable nature of His generation from the Father, or the profound mystery of His spiritual legacy.
• For His life is taken from the earth (ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ - hoti airetai apo tēs gēs hē zōē autou):
  • αἴρεται (airetai): Present passive indicative of αἴρω (airō). Can imply "is being taken" or "is removed." It denotes a cutting off.
  • ζωὴ (zōē): Physical life, existence.
  • This is a clear, unequivocal declaration of His death, being cut off from the land of the living. It fulfills Isaiah's prophecy of the Servant being "cut off out of the land of the living" (Isa 53:8, MT). It underlines the reality and finality of His crucifixion from an earthly perspective, essential for His redemptive work.

Acts 8 33 Bonus section

The profound significance of Acts 8:33 lies not just in its Messianic fulfillment but also in its implication for the expanding mission of the early Church.

• The Septuagint's Role: The fact that the eunuch was reading from the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, highlights its critical importance in early Christian evangelism. Many Diaspora Jews and Gentile God-fearers relied on the LXX, and the apostles frequently quoted from it, making it a crucial bridge for spreading the Gospel to non-Hebrew speakers.
• The Eunuch's Question: The eunuch's humble question, "About whom, tell me, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" (Acts 8:34), underscores the need for divine guidance and interpretive help in understanding scripture. Prophecy is not always immediately clear without the Spirit's illumination and apostolic teaching.
• Inclusive Gospel: The eunuch's status (an Ethiopian and a eunuch) would have presented barriers to full inclusion in Israel under the Mosaic Law (Dt 23:1). His eager reception of the Gospel and immediate baptism, initiated directly from a central Old Testament prophecy of Christ's suffering, dramatically demonstrates the universal, inclusive nature of the New Covenant under Christ, foreshadowing the mission to all nations. This encounter served as an important theological marker for the early Church, emphasizing that Christ's salvation transcends ethnic, social, and even physical boundaries.

Acts 8 33 Commentary

Acts 8:33, a vital quotation from Isaiah 53, forms the very core of Philip's evangelistic message to the Ethiopian eunuch, showcasing the clarity of prophetic fulfillment in Jesus. The verse paints a stark picture of the Messiah's passion: "In His humiliation His judgment was taken away." This speaks directly to the utter lack of justice afforded to Jesus during His trial and crucifixion. Despite His innocence, verified even by Pontius Pilate, His life was condemned through corrupt processes and mob influence. He voluntarily subjected Himself to this humiliation and abuse, refusing to retaliate or defend Himself, thereby exemplifying perfect patience and obedience to God's will (compare with Isa 53:7, 1 Pt 2:23).

The subsequent rhetorical question, "And who will declare His generation?" delves into profound Christological depths. While some interpretations ponder the lack of His physical lineage after His earthly cutting off or the incomprehensibility of His earthly conduct, its primary significance in the Christian context points to His unique, eternal generation from the Father – His divine Sonship which is beyond human description. Alternatively, it can also allude to the spiritual "offspring" He gains through His suffering (Isa 53:10), a multitude that truly no one can number, who form the new "generation" that will declare His glory and the depth of His sacrifice. This implies that though He left no physical lineage, His spiritual descendants would be immeasurable.

Finally, "For His life is taken from the earth" is the ultimate confirmation of His sacrificial death. He was truly cut off from the living, signifying the literal reality of the crucifixion. This death was not merely an event but a divine act, central to God's plan for atonement. It reveals that the suffering and death were intentional, not an accident, necessary for humanity's redemption. Philip’s ability to connect this deeply perplexing Old Testament prophecy to the historical person of Jesus, who endured profound humiliation, an unjust trial, and sacrificial death, enabled the Ethiopian eunuch to understand and embrace the Good News, culminating in his baptism. This pivotal exchange illustrates how Christian truth clarifies Old Testament ambiguities, showing Jesus as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies.