Acts 8:27-40

27So Philip started on his journey. While he was going along this road, he met an important officer from Ethiopia. This man had authority over the queen of Ethiopia's money. The queen was called Candace. The officer was travelling home from Jerusalem. He had been there to worship God.

28Now the man was travelling home again in his chariot. He was reading something from the book that God's prophet Isaiah wrote.

29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and walk beside it.’

30So Philip ran to the cart as it went along. The officer was reading aloud from the prophet Isaiah's book and Philip heard him. So Philip asked the man, ‘Do you understand the things that you are reading about?’

31The man answered, ‘I cannot understand it. I need someone to explain it to me.’ Then he said to Philip, ‘Come up here and sit with me in the cart.’

32The officer was reading these words from the book of Isaiah: ‘He was like a sheep that people were leading away to kill. He was like a lamb when they are cutting off its wool, but it makes no noise. In the same way, he did not say anything.

33People did not respect him at all. They refused to judge him in a fair way. Nobody can say anything about his descendants, because his life on earth came to an end.’

34The officer said to Philip, ‘Please tell me who the prophet Isaiah wrote about. Was he writing about himself or about another person?’

35Then Philip explained to the man the words that Isaiah had written. Then he went on to tell him the good news about Jesus.

36As they were travelling along the road, they came to a place with some water. The man said to Philip, ‘Look! There is some water here. Please will you baptize me? Is there anything to stop you?’ [

37Philip said to him, ‘I can baptize you if you really believe in Jesus.’ The man said to Philip, ‘I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’]

38The officer said to the man who was driving the chariot, ‘Stop the chariot!’ Then he went down with Philip into the water, and Philip baptized him.

39They both came up out of the water again. Immediately the Lord's Holy Spirit took Philip away from that place. The officer did not see Philip again. He continued his journey and he was very happy.

40Philip saw that he was now in Azotus. From there, he visited many towns and he told people the good news about Jesus. He did this as he went all the way to Caesarea.