Acts 8:39 kjv
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8:39 nkjv
Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8:39 niv
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.
Acts 8:39 esv
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8:39 nlt
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 56:4-5 | ...to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths... a name better than sons and daughters... | Prophecy of God's blessing and inclusion for eunuchs, fulfilled in the Gospel. |
| Dt 23:1 | No one who is emasculated... shall enter the assembly of the LORD. | Old Testament restriction contrasts with the New Testament's universal embrace through Christ. |
| Isa 12:3 | With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. | Connects water (baptism) with the joy of salvation. |
| Ps 51:12 | Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. | Prayer for the deep, inner joy that comes from God's saving grace. |
| Lk 15:7 | ...more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous... | Illustrates the immense joy, both on earth and in heaven, over a single conversion. |
| 1 Pet 1:8 | ...though you have not seen Him, you love Him... you exult with an inexpressible and glorious joy. | Describes the spiritual joy of believers even in unseen faith. |
| Rom 14:17 | For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. | Identifies joy in the Holy Spirit as a core aspect of God's kingdom. |
| Neh 8:10 | ...for the joy of the LORD is your strength. | Declares spiritual joy as a source of strength for believers. |
| Rom 6:4 | We were buried with Him through baptism... so we also may walk in newness of life. | Baptism symbolizes burial with Christ and resurrection to a new, Spirit-filled life. |
| Col 2:12 | ...having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith... | Emphasizes baptism as a symbolic participation in Christ's death and resurrection. |
| Acts 10:34-35 | God is not one to show partiality; but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome. | Peter's realization of the Gospel's universality, extending beyond Jewish bounds. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ. | Declares spiritual equality and unity for all believers in Christ. |
| Eze 3:12, 14 | Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great rumbling sound... and the Spirit lifted me up and took me away... | Prophet Ezekiel's experience of being miraculously transported by the Spirit. |
| 1 Ki 18:12 | ...as soon as I leave you the Spirit of the LORD will carry you I know not where... | Obadiah's concern regarding Elijah's potential miraculous removal by the Spirit. |
| 2 Ki 2:16 | ...lest the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley... | The "sons of the prophets" expecting Elijah to be supernaturally transported. |
| Prov 16:9 | The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. | Illustrates God's sovereignty and direction over human paths, exemplified in Philip's journey. |
| Ps 37:23 | The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. | Further affirmation of divine guidance and arrangement in a person's life. |
| Isa 48:17 | I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. | God as the ultimate guide and teacher, orchestrating Philip's and the eunuch's encounter. |
| Jn 16:13 | ...when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth... | The Holy Spirit's role in guiding and leading believers. |
| Acts 8:40 | But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the cities... | Philip immediately resumed his evangelistic ministry after his miraculous transport. |
| 2 Cor 12:2-4 | I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know... caught up to the third heaven... | Paul's account of a spiritual experience involving being "caught up" to heaven. |
| 1 Th 4:17 | Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air... | Future event of believers being "caught up" to meet the Lord, using similar language ("snatched"). |
| Acts 13:52 | And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. | Demonstrates that joy and the Holy Spirit are inseparable aspects of the Christian life. |
Acts 8 verses
Acts 8 39 Meaning
Acts 8:39 describes the supernatural removal of Philip the evangelist from the side of the newly baptized Ethiopian eunuch, immediately after they came up out of the water. The Holy Spirit "snatched" Philip away to another location, making him instantly disappear from the eunuch's sight. Despite this sudden departure, the eunuch continued his journey filled with profound joy, a testament to his new faith and the transformative experience of salvation and baptism.
Acts 8 39 Context
This verse marks the climax of Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, a narrative illustrating the Spirit's direct guidance in evangelism. Prior to this, Philip had been successful in ministry in Samaria, but was specifically directed by an angel to go to a desert road (Acts 8:26). There, the Spirit explicitly told him to approach the eunuch's chariot (Acts 8:29). Philip then explained Isaiah 53, preached Christ, and baptized the eunuch who believed. Acts 8:39 is the immediate aftermath of this profound conversion and baptism, showing God's miraculous continuation of Philip's ministry and the immediate, lasting impact on the eunuch. The broader historical context is the early expansion of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem and Judea, reaching a high-ranking Gentile (though likely a proselyte/God-fearer) from a distant land (Ethiopia, representing Africa). This event subtly but powerfully challenges contemporary Jewish beliefs about who could fully participate in God's covenant, especially regarding eunuchs.
Acts 8 39 Word analysis
And when they came up (Ἀναβάντων δὲ αὐτῶν - Anabantōn de autōn): This phrase emphasizes the physical action of "coming up" or "ascending" from the water, signifying the completion of the immersion baptism. It also carries the spiritual implication of rising to a new life, paralleling Christ's resurrection.
out of the water (ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος - ek tou hydatos): Precisely denotes the point from which they emerged, clearly indicating an immersion baptism. This literal emergence is symbolic of cleansing and the new spiritual birth.
the Spirit of the Lord (Πνεῦμα Κυρίου - Pneuma Kyriou): This refers to the Holy Spirit, explicitly identifying the divine agent behind the miraculous event. It underscores God's active, direct intervention in the lives and ministries of His servants. The Spirit's action here is not merely guidance but an immediate, supernatural act.
snatched Philip away (ἥρπασεν τὸν Φίλιππον - hērpasen ton Philippon): The Greek verb harpazō means "to seize," "to snatch," or "to carry off suddenly and by force." It implies an instantaneous and powerful, miraculous removal. This is not a gradual departure but an abrupt disappearance, a visible sign of God's power and Philip's submission to divine direction. It echoes similar divine interventions with Elijah and Ezekiel.
and the eunuch saw him no more (καὶ οὐκέτι εἶδεν αὐτόν - kai ouketi eiden auton): This clarifies the finality and suddenness of Philip's departure from the eunuch's perspective. It highlights the supernatural nature of the event – Philip was truly gone, not merely walked away.
and went on his way (ἐπορεύετο γὰρ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ - eporeueto gar tēn hodon autou): Indicates the continuation of the eunuch's journey. The Greek gar ("for") might imply a reason: he was able to continue because of his joy, or simply states a factual progression of events. It shows he was not left bewildered or afraid but ready to proceed.
rejoicing (χαίρων - chairōn): This is a participle indicating a continuous state of profound joy. This joy stems from his conversion, baptism, the understanding of God's word, and his newfound salvation in Christ. It's a spiritual joy, unaffected by Philip's disappearance, and likely propelled him to share his faith upon returning home.
Words-group analysis:
- "came up out of the water": Emphasizes the completion of a full immersion baptism, signifying a burial and resurrection in Christ, and spiritual cleansing.
- "the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away": Clearly attributes the miraculous event to God's direct, powerful intervention, not to human agency or random chance. It showcases the sovereign and supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.
- "the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing": Contrasts Philip's dramatic disappearance with the eunuch's serene and joyful continuation. The joy transcends the sudden, astonishing nature of Philip's removal, highlighting its depth and divine origin, making it a powerful witness.
Acts 8 39 Bonus section
The miraculous removal of Philip ("snatched away") highlights a theme in Scripture of divine transportation, often involving Spirit-filled individuals for strategic Kingdom purposes. This type of miracle, though rare, serves to underscore God's complete control and the subservience of natural laws to His divine will when fulfilling His redemptive plan. For the Ethiopian eunuch, this was likely a confirming sign that his conversion was truly divine and orchestrated by God, further solidifying his faith. His continued "rejoicing" is particularly significant because it shows a joy rooted not in the human presence of the evangelist, but in the spiritual reality of his salvation. This foreshadows how the Christian faith can thrive and spread, even without the continuous presence of an immediate teacher, relying instead on the enduring power of the Holy Spirit and the Word.
Acts 8 39 Commentary
Acts 8:39 portrays a spectacular display of divine orchestration and power in the early spread of the Gospel. The Holy Spirit, having meticulously guided Philip to this encounter, now supernaturally transports him to another location to continue his mission, validating Philip's Spirit-led ministry. This miracle, though extraordinary, is a demonstration of God's active involvement in world evangelism, overcoming geographical limitations. Crucially, the verse focuses on the eunuch's reaction: his deep and lasting joy. This joy is the immediate fruit of his conversion and baptism, a profound internal experience that is independent of Philip's physical presence. It testifies to the transforming power of the Gospel and the Spirit-filled life, marking a genuine, God-given inner peace and gladness that no external circumstance can diminish. This joy becomes a dynamic force, undoubtedly equipping the eunuch to become a messenger of Christ in his homeland, bringing the light of the Gospel to Africa.