Year not stated · Early Church

Philip and the Ethiopian official

On the desert road to Gaza, Philip heard the Ethiopian treasurer reading Isaiah 53 and, beginning with that Scripture, told him the good news about Jesus; the man was baptized and went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:32-39).

undated in Scripture

Soon after Stephen, mid-30s AD

📖 Acts 8:26–28

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.

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Connections

Quotation

Philip begins with Isaiah's suffering servant

The Ethiopian official was reading Isaiah's words about the silent sufferer led to slaughter, and Philip began with that Scripture to tell him the good news about Jesus.

Isaiah 53:7–8

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.

Isaiah 53:7-8 describes the servant led like a lamb to slaughter, silent before His shearers and cut off from the land of the living; Acts 8:32-35 quotes those verses and records Philip explaining the good news about Jesus from that very Scripture.

Read Isaiah 53:7–8 (BSB) →
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Sources: Scripture — Acts 8:26-39
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