Acts 8:35
in Acts 8Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.
KJV
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
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This verse in Acts 8
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThen Philip opened his mouth,.... With freedom and boldness, and spoke clearly and distinctly, and expounded the passage to him. This is a phrase frequently used in Jewish writings, especially in the book of Zohar (e), when they give an account of this or the other Rabbi interpreting any place of Scripture; as for instance, R. Eleazar פתח, "opened", and said, "my sabbaths you shall keep", &c. Again, R. Aba פתח, "opened", and said, "and Manoah said unto his wife", &c. Once more, "R.
This site's exposition
who is the prophet talking about
on Acts 8:34-35
The eunuch asks whether the prophet speaks of himself or someone else. Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus, starting from the text the man already held.
This site's exposition
began with this very Scripture
Clarke explains that Philip made this passage his text, then showed from the wider Scriptures that Jesus fulfilled them. Barnes adds that Philip must also have explained baptism, for the eunuch soon asks for it. Chrysostom thinks he had heard of the crucifixion.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Therefore this is Jesus, and Philip proclaims this Scripture to the eunuch, that it is fulfilled in him; and the eunuch, having believed and immediately baptized, was sent to the regions of Ethiopia, proclaiming that which he himself had believed: that there is one God …
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. It is likely he had heard that He was crucified, and now he learns, that His life is taken away from the earth, and the rest that He did no sin, nor deceit in His mouth: that He prevailed to save others also: and who He is, Whose generation is unutterable.
The Medieval Church1 voice
But Philip opening his mouth, etc. Philip interpreted means 'the mouth of a lamp,' and it is a beautiful sense that the mouth of a lamp opened its mouth, while it brought forth the obscure things of prophecy into the light of knowledge. Although these …
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Opened his mouth - See Mat 5:2. At the same scripture - Taking this as a “text” to be illustrated. Preached unto him Jesus - Showed him that Jesus of Nazareth exactly corresponded to the description of the prophet, and that therefore he referred to the Messiah, and that the Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth. How far Philip detailed the circumstances of the life and death of Christ is unknown. What follows shows also that he stated the design of baptism, and the duty of being baptized.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
And the eunuch answered, I pray thee, &c.--The respect with which he here addresses Philip was prompted by his reverence for one whom he perceived to be his superior in divine things; his own worldly position sinking before this.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Then Philip opened his mouth--(See on Mt 5:2). began at the same scripture--founding on it as his text. preached unto him Jesus--showing Him to be the glorious Burden of this wonderful prediction, and interpreting it in the light of the facts of His history.
Began at the same scripture - He did not confine himself to this one scripture, but made this his text, and showed, from the general tenor of the sacred writings, that Jesus was the Christ, or Messiah; and that in his person, birth, life, doctrine, miracles, passion, death, and resurrection, the Scriptures of the Old Testament were fulfilled. This preaching had the desired effect, for the eunuch was convinced of the truth of Philip’s doctrine, and desired to be baptized in the name of Jesus.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀνοίξας | anoixas | Having opened | G455 → | 77 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φίλιππος | philippos | Philip | G5376 → | 36 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στόμα | stoma | mouth | G4750 → | 78 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀρξάμενος | arxamenos | having begun | G757 → | 85 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γραφῆς | graphes | Scripture | G1124 → | 49 times |
| ταύτης | tautes | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| εὐηγγελίσατο | euengelisato | he evangelised | G2097 → | 54 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | to him [about] | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦν.¶ | iesoun | Jesus. | G2424 → | 908 times |
ἀνοίξαςHaving opened
anoixasG455 →77 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΦίλιπποςPhilip
philipposG5376 →36 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
στόμαmouth
stomaG4750 →78 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀρξάμενοςhaving begun
arxamenosG757 →85 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
γραφῆςScripture
graphesG1124 →49 times
ταύτηςthis
tautesG3778 →1381 times
εὐηγγελίσατοhe evangelised
euengelisatoG2097 →54 times
αὐτῷto him [about]
autoG846 →5565 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
Ἰησοῦν.¶Jesus.
iesounG2424 →908 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
Luke 24:27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
it leads to
- Luke 24:44
Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets,…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
- Deuteronomy 18:15
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.
- Isaiah 53:1–12
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
- Luke 24:44
Through
1 Corinthians 2:2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:14
But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- 1 Corinthians 1:22–25
Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
- John 17:3
Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
- Philippians 3:8–10
More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may…
- Galatians 6:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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On this verse
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 19; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.