the Second Week after Easter
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Contemporary English Version
Acts 8:31
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- CondensedParallel Translations
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
And hee said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip, that hee would come vp, and sit with him.
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
He answered, "How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?" Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him.
And he said, "Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
"How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" And he invited Philip to climb up and sit with him.
And he said, How should I then be able unless some one guide me? And he begged Philip to come up and sit with him.
The man answered, "How can I understand? I need someone to explain it to me." Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him.
And he saide, Howe can I, except I had a guide? And he desired Philip, that he would come vp and sit with him.
And the E-thi-o''pi-an said, How can I understand unless some one teach me? and he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
The official replied, "How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?" And he invited Philip to climb up and sit in the carriage with him.
And he said, "So how could I, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
But he said, How should I be able except someone shall guide me? And he called Philip near, to come up to sit with him.
And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he said, How is that possible when I have no guide? And he made Philip get up by his side.
He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" He begged Pilipos to come up and sit with him.
He replied, "How can I unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.
And he said, How can I understand, unless one teach me ? And he prayed of him, of Philipos, to ascend and sit with him.
And he said: How can I understand, unless some one instruct me? And he requested of Philip, that he would come up and sit with him.
And he said: how can I, except I had a guyde? And he desired Philip that he woulde come vp, and sit with hym.
And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he said, How can I, unless some one guide me?
"Why, how can I," replied the eunuch, "unless some one explains it to me?" And he earnestly invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he seide, How may Y, if no man schewe to me? And he preiede Filip, that he schulde come vp, and sitte with hym.
And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he implored Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up, and sit with him.
The man replied, "How in the world can I, unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
The man replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me?" And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
The man from Ethiopia said, "How can I, unless someone teaches me?" Then he asked Philip to come up and sit beside him.
He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
And, he, said - How indeed should be able - unless someone shall guide me? And he called upon Philip, to come up and sit with him.
Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
And he said, "How can I, unless some one guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
And he sayd: how can I except I had a gyde? And he desyred Philip that he wold come vp and sit wt him.
and he said, `Why, how am I able, if some one may not guide me?' he called Philip also, having come up, to sit with him.
He sayde: How can I, excepte some ma enfourme me?And he desyred Philippe, that he wolde come vp, and syt with him.
how can I, answer'd he, without some expositor? and he desired Philip to mount, and sit with him.
He answered, "How can I without some help?" and invited Philip into the chariot with him. The passage he was reading was this: As a sheep led to slaughter, and quiet as a lamb being sheared, He was silent, saying nothing. He was mocked and put down, never got a fair trial. But who now can count his kin since he's been taken from the earth?
"Honestly, I don't have a clue," the man said. "I've never had anybody to explain it to me." He invited Phil to sit with him.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
How: Psalms 25:8, Psalms 25:9, Psalms 73:16, Psalms 73:17, Psalms 73:22, Proverbs 30:2, Proverbs 30:3, Isaiah 29:18, Isaiah 29:19, Isaiah 35:8, Matthew 18:3, Matthew 18:4, Mark 10:15, Romans 10:14, 1 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 8:2, 1 Corinthians 14:36, 1 Corinthians 14:37, James 1:10, James 1:21, 1 Peter 2:1, 1 Peter 2:2
And he: 2 Kings 5:9, 2 Kings 5:26, 2 Kings 10:15, 2 Kings 10:16
Reciprocal: Genesis 39:2 - the Lord Judges 14:14 - they could 1 Kings 20:33 - and he caused 2 Kings 5:21 - he lighted Proverbs 1:6 - a proverb Matthew 13:51 - Have Mark 13:14 - let him Acts 18:26 - expounded
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he said, how can I, except some man should guide me?.... Which shows that he was of an excellent spirit and temper; since instead of answering in a haughty and disdainful manner, as great men are too apt to do; and instead of charging Philip with, impertinence and insolence, in interrupting him whilst reading, and putting such a question to him, he expresses himself with great and uncommon modesty; with a sense and confession of his ignorance and incapacity and of the necessity and usefulness of the instructions of men, appointed of God to open and explain the Scriptures: and though he wanted such a guide, and could have been glad of one, yet he was willing to use all diligence himself in reading, that he, might, if possible, come at some knowledge of the truth; which was very commendable in him; and no doubt but the spirit he was in was much owing to his reading the word, and to the Spirit of God disposing his mind in this manner:
and he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him; which is an instance of his great humanity and courteousness, and of his meekness and condescension, as well as of his vehement thirst after the knowledge of the Scriptures; he concluding, or at least hoping by Philip's question, and by the air and look of the man, that he was one that might be useful to him this way.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And he said ... - This was a general acknowledgment of his need of direction. It evinced a humble state of mind. It was an acknowledgment, also, originating probably from this particular passage which he was reading. He did not understand how it could be applied to the Messiah; how the description of his humiliation and condemnation Acts 8:33 could be reconciled to the prevalent ideas of his being a prince and a conqueror. The same sentiment is expressed by Paul in Romans 10:14. The circumstance, the state of mind in the eunuch, and the result, strongly remind one of the declaration in Psalms 25:9, âThe meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.â
And he desired ... - He was willing to receive instruction, even from a stranger. The rich and the great may often receive valuable instruction from a stranger, and from a poor, unknown man.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 31. How can I, except some man should guide me? — This is no proof that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter," as some of the papistical writers assert. How could the eunuch know any thing of the Gospel dispensation, to which this scripture referred? That dispensation had not yet been proclaimed to him; he knew nothing about Jesus. But where that dispensation has been published, where the four Gospels and the apostolic epistles are at hand, every thing relative to the salvation of the soul may be clearly apprehended by any simple, upright person. There are difficulties, it is true, in different parts of the sacred writings, which neither the pope nor his conclave can solve; and several which even the more enlightened Protestant cannot remove; but these difficulties do not refer to matters in which the salvation of the soul is immediately concerned: they refer to such as are common to every ancient author in the universe. These difficulties, being understood, add to the beauty, elegance, and justness of the language, thoughts, and turns of expression; and these, only the few who are capable of understanding are able to relish. As to all the rest, all that relates to faith and practice, all in which the present and eternal interest of the soul is concerned, "the wayfaring man, though a fool, (quite illiterate,) shall not err therein."
That he would come up, and sit with him. — So earnestly desirous was he to receive instruction relative to those things which concerned the welfare of his soul.
