Acts 8:39

Christian Standard Bible ®

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing.

Parallel Translations

King James Version (1611)
And when they were come vp out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the Eunuch saw him no more: and hee went on his way reioycing.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

New Century Version
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. And the officer continued on his way home, full of joy.

Amplified Bible
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

Legacy Standard Bible
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

Berean Standard Bible
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.

Contemporary English Version
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.

Complete Jewish Bible
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch saw no more of him, because he continued on his way — full of joy.

Darby Translation
But when they came up out of the water [the] Spirit of [the] Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no longer, for he went on his way rejoicing.

Easy-to-Read Version
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the official never saw him again. The official continued on his way home. He was very happy.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And assoone as they were come vp out of the water, the Spirit of the Lorde caught away Philip, that the Eunuche sawe him no more: so he went on his way reioycing.

George Lamsa Translation
And when they came up from the water, the Spirit of the LORD caught Philip away and the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Good News Translation
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The official did not see him again, but continued on his way, full of joy.

Lexham English Bible
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he went on his way rejoicing.

Literal Translation
But when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip. And the eunuch did not see him any more; for he went his way rejoicing.

American Standard Version
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

Bible in Basic English
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; and the Ethiopian saw him no more, for he went on his way full of joy.

Hebrew Names Version
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Pilipos away, and the eunuch didn't see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

International Standard Version
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing and did not see Philiphim">[fn] again.1 Kings 18:12; 2 Kings 2:16; Ezekiel 3:12,14;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And when they had ascended from the water, the Spirit of the Lord rapt away Philipos, and the eunuch again saw him not; but he went on his way rejoicing.

Murdock Translation
And when they came up from the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more; but he went on his way rejoicing.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And assoone as they were come out of the water, the spirite of ye Lorde caught away Philip, that the Eunuche sawe hym no more. And he went on his way reioycyng.

English Revised Version
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

World English Bible
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn't see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
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.

Weymouth's New Testament
But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne thei weren come vp of the watir, the spirit of the Lord rauyschide Filip, and the gelding say hym no more.

Update Bible Version
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they had 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.

New English Translation
Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but went on his way rejoicing.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
When they came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit took Philip away. The man from Ethiopia did not see Philip again. He went on his way full of joy.

New Revised Standard
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more; for he was going on his way rejoicing.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip: and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing.

Revised Standard Version
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And assone as they were come out of the water the sprete of the lorde caught awaye Philip yt the chamberlayne sawe him no moore. And he wet on his waye reioysinge:

Young's Literal Translation
and when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he was going on his way rejoicing;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan they were come vp out of the water, the sprete of the LORDE toke Philippe awaye. And the Chamberlayne sawe him nomore. But he wente on his waye reioysinge.

Mace New Testament (1729)
when they were come out of the water, the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he pursued his way with joy.

Simplified Cowboy Version
When the man came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit whisked Phil away, and the man never saw him again. But the man did rejoice at what had happened.

Contextual Overview

²⁶An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.) ²⁷So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem ²⁸and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. ²⁹The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.” ³⁰When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” ³¹“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³²Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: ³³In his humiliation justice was denied him.Who will describe his generation?For his life is taken from the earth. ³⁴The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?” ³⁵Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

were: Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10,*Gr.

the Spirit: 1 Kings 18:12, 2 Kings 2:16, Ezekiel 3:12-14, Ezekiel 8:3, Ezekiel 11:24, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4

and he: Acts 8:8, Acts 13:52, Acts 16:34, Psalms 119:14, Psalms 119:111, Isaiah 35:1, Isaiah 35:2, Isaiah 55:12, Isaiah 55:13, Isaiah 61:10, Isaiah 66:13, Isaiah 66:14, Matthew 13:44, Romans 5:2, Romans 15:10-13, Philippians 3:3, Philippians 4:4, James 1:9, James 1:10, James 4:16

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 11:1 - the spirit Ezekiel 37:1 - carried Ezekiel 43:5 - the spirit Matthew 4:1 - of the spirit Mark 9:8 - General Luke 4:1 - and was John 8:59 - but 1 Thessalonians 4:17 - caught Revelation 17:3 - he carried Revelation 21:10 - he carried

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when they were come up out of the water,.... Which is another circumstance, showing that baptism was then performed by immersion; with this compare Matthew 3:16 and so it is said of the high priest, when he washed himself on the day of atonement,

ירד וטבל עלה, "he went down and dipped, and came up" m; and so any other person that was obliged to dipping on any account,

ירד וטבל ועלה, "went down and dipped, and came up" n. And again it is said o, it happened to a servant maid of Rabbi,

שטבלה ועלתה, "that she dipped herself and came up".

The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; as soon as the ordinance was over; so that the eunuch had no opportunity of rewarding him for his instructions and labour; and this might be done on purpose to show that he had no mercenary end in joining himself to his chariot; and this sudden rapture and disappearance might be a confirmation to the eunuch that this whole affair was of God. The Spirit of the Lord took up Philip, just as he is said to lift up Ezekiel, between earth and heaven, Ezekiel 8:3 and carried him above the earth as far as Azotus. The Alexandrian copy, and one of Beza's, and some others, read the words thus, "the holy Spirit fall upon the eunuch, but the angel of the Lord caught away Philip"; the same angel, it may be, that bid him go toward the south:

that the eunuch saw him no more; neither at that time, nor perhaps ever after; for one went one way, and another way:

and he went on his way; towards Ethiopia; and, as the Ethiopic version reads, "into his own country"; which is one reason why he saw Philip no more: however, he went thither

rejoicing, as he had great reason to do; being blessed with the saving knowledge of Christ, and true faith in the Son of God, and admitted to the holy ordinance of baptism; having first received the baptism of the Spirit, or having the grace of the Spirit bestowed on him, and implanted in him: and, according to some copies just now mentioned, after his baptism the Spirit fell on him in an extraordinary manner, and that without imposition of hands; so that, upon the whole, he had great reason to rejoice.

m Misna Yoma, c. 3. sect. 4. 6. & 7. sect. 3. 4. n T. Bab. Ceritot, fol. 13. 1. o T. Bab. Nidda, fol. 66. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Out of the water - ἐκ ek. This preposition stands opposed to εἰς eis, “into”; and as that may mean to, so this may mean From; if that means into, this means here out of.

The Spirit of the Lord - See Acts 8:29. The Spirit had suggested to Philip to go to meet the eunuch, and the same Spirit, now that he had fulfilled the design of his going there, directed his departure.

Caught away - This phrase has been usually understood of a forcible or miraculous removal of Philip to some other place. Some have even supposed that he was borne through the air by an angel (see even Doddridge). To such foolish interpretations have many expositors been led. The meaning is, clearly, that the Spirit, who had directed Philip to go near the eunuch, now removed him in a similar manner. That this is the meaning is clear:

(1) Because it accounts for all that occurred. It is not wise to suppose the existence of a miracle except where the effect cannot otherwise be accounted for, and except where there is a plain statement that there was a miracle.

(2) The word “caught away” ἥρπασεν hērpasen does not imply that there was a miracle. The word properly means “to seize and bear away anything violently, without the consent of the owner,” as robbers and plunderers do. Then it signifies to remove anything in a forcible manner; to make use of strength or power to remove it, Acts 23:10; Matthew 13:19; Joh 10:28; 2 Corinthians 12:2, 2 Corinthians 12:4, etc. In no case does it ever denote that a miracle is performed. And all that can be signified here is, that the Spirit strongly admonished Philip to go to some other place; that he so forcibly or vividly suggested the duty to his mind as to tear him away, as it were, from the society of the eunuch. He had been deeply interested in the case. He would have found pleasure in continuing the journey with him. But the strong convictions of duty urged by the Holy Spirit impelled him, as it were, to break off this new and interesting acquaintanceship, and to go to some other place. The purpose for which he was sent, to instruct and baptize the eunuch, was accomplished, and now he was called to some other field of labor. A similar instance of interpretation has been considered in the notes on Matthew 4:5.

And he went on his way rejoicing - His mind was enlightened on a perplexing passage of Scripture. He was satisfied respecting the Messiah. He was baptized; and he experienced what all feel who embrace the Saviour and are baptized - joy. It was joy resulting from the fact that he was reconciled to God; and a joy the natural effect of having done his duty promptly in making a profession of religion. If we wish happiness if we would avoid clouds and gloom, we should do our duty at once. If we delay until tomorrow what we ought to do today, we may expect to be troubled with melancholy thoughts. If we find peace, it will be in doing promptly just what God requires at our hands. This is the last that we hear of this man. Some have supposed that he carried the gospel to Ethiopia, and preached it there. But there is strong evidence to believe that the gospel was not preached there successfully until about the year 330 a.d., when it was introduced by Frumentius, sent to Abyssinia for that purpose by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. From this narrative we may learn:

1. That God often prepares the mind to receive the truth.

(2)That this takes place sometimes with the great and the noble, as well as the poor and obscure.

(3)That we should study the Scriptures. This is the way in which God usually directs the mind in the truths of religion.

(4)That they who read the Bible with candor and care may expect that God will, in some mode, guide them into the truth. It will often be in a way which they least expect; but they need not be afraid of being left to darkness or error.

(5)That we should be ready at all times to speak to sinners. God often prepares their minds, as he did that of the eunuch, to receive the truth.

(6)That we should not be afraid of the great, he rich, or of strangers. God often prepares their minds to receive the truth; and we may find a man willing to hear of the Saviour where we least expected it.

(7)That we should do our duty in this respect, as Philip did, promptly. We should not delay or hesitate, but should at once do that which we believe to be in accordance with the will of God. See Psalms 119:60.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 8:39. The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip — Perhaps this means no more than that the Holy Spirit suggested to the mind of Philip that he should withdraw abruptly from the eunuch, and thus leave him to pursue his journey, reflecting on the important incidents which had taken place. Some suppose that the angel of the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord, are the same person throughout this chapter. There is a remarkable reading in the Codex Alexandrinus which exists thus in two lines:-

πνααγιονεπεπεχενεπιτονευνουξον

The Spirit of the Lord fell upon the eunuch:

αγγελοχδεκυηρπαχεντονφιλιππον.

But the angel of the Lord snatched away Philip. This reading is found in several other MSS. and in some versions. Many think that the Spirit or angel of God carried off Philip in some such manner as the Apocrypha represents the transportation of Habakkuk, who was taken up by the hair of the head, and carried from Judea to Babylon! For such an interposition there was no need. When Philip had baptized the eunuch, the Spirit of God showed him that it was not the will of God that he should accompany the eunuch to Meroe, but, on the contrary, that he should hasten away to Ashdod; as God had in that, and the neighbouring places, work sufficient to employ him in.