Acts 8:29
in Acts 8The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
KJV
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
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This verse in Acts 8
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd the Spirit said to Philip. The Spirit spoke in Philip's heart. For the Spirit of God, as it were, appears to speak words to us, with a hidden force prompting us to do what ought to be done.
This site's exposition
join thyself to this chariot
on Acts 8:29-31
The Spirit's direct instruction, go near and join thyself to this chariot, sends Philip running to catch a moving vehicle, the same immediacy that marks every Spirit-led step in this chapter. Philip's question, understandest thou what thou readest, meets an honest answer, how can I except some man should guide me, and the eunuch's own reply becomes the invitation every evangelist since has hoped to hear, asking Philip to come up and sit with him. A man with more authority and more education than Philip humbles himself to ask an unnamed evangelist for help, an answer to prayer the text presents without praising his humility directly.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And the Spirit said unto him. Not now the Angel but the Spirit urges him. Why is this? Then, the vision took place, in grosser form, through the Angel, for this is for them that are more of the body, but the Spirit is for the more spiritual. And how did He speak to him? Of course, suggested it to him.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Then the Spirit said unto Philip,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Then the Spirit said unto Philip - This holy man having obeyed the first direction he received from God, and gone southward without knowing the reason why, it was requisite that he should now be informed of the object of his mission: the Spirit said unto him, go near, and join thyself, etc. The angel who had given him the first direction had departed; and the influence of the Holy Spirit now completed the information. It is likely that what the Spirit did in this case was by a strong impression on his mind, which left him no doubt of its being from God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Spirit - See the notes on Act 8:26. The Holy Spirit is evidently intended here. The thought in Philip’s mind is here traced to his suggestion. All good thoughts and designs have the same origin. Join thyself - Join him in his chariot. Go and sit with him.
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἶπεν | eipen | Said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεῦμα | pneuma | Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φιλίππῳ· | philippo | to Philip; | G5376 → | 36 times |
| πρόσελθε | proselthe | do go near | G4334 → | 86 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κολλήθητι | kolletheti | do be joined | G2853 → | 12 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἅρματι | harmati | chariot | G716 → | 4 times |
| τούτῳ. | touto | this [one]. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
εἶπενSaid
eipenG2036 →925 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πνεῦμαSpirit
pneumaG4151 →378 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
Φιλίππῳ·to Philip;
philippoG5376 →36 times
πρόσελθεdo go near
proseltheG4334 →86 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κολλήθητιdo be joined
kollethetiG2853 →12 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
ἅρματιchariot
harmatiG716 →4 times
τούτῳ.this [one].
toutoG3778 →1381 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 11:12The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.
it leads to
- Romans 3:22
And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,
- Acts 10:23
So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:2
not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.
- Romans 3:22
Through
Acts 10:19As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
it leads to
- Acts 13:2
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
- Acts 21:4
We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
- Acts 11:12
The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.
- John 16:13
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to…
- 1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- Acts 13:2
Where this verse is studied
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 19; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
