Acts 8:31

Acts 8:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

Context of Acts 8:31

29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”

Acts 8:31 word by word

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην, ἐὰν μή τις με; παρεκάλεσέν τε τὸν Φίλιππον ἀναβάντα καθίσαι σὺν αὐτῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• he saidὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• ·γάρgar · forG1063
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• can Iδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
• exceptμήmē · notG3361
• some manτιςtis · oneG5100
• should guideὁδηγέωhodēgeō · to guideG3594
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Andτεte · and/bothG5037
• he desiredπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
• PhilipΦίλιπποςPhilippos · PhilipG5376
• that he would come upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• and sitκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Acts 8:31

• Psalms 25:8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
• Psalms 73:16When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply
• Proverbs 30:2Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding.
• Isaiah 29:18In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
• Isaiah 35:8And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.
• Matthew 18:3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Mark 10:15Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
• Romans 10:14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.
• 1 Corinthians 8:2Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.
• 1 Corinthians 14:36Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?
• James 1:10But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
• 1 Peter 2:1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
• 2 Kings 5:9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
• 2 Kings 10:15After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab son of Rekab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?” “I am,” Jehonadab answered. “If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot.

Commentaries on Acts 8:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31How can I, except some man should guide me? - This is no proof that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter," as some of the papistical writers assert. How could the eunuch know any thing of the Gospel dispensation, to which this scripture referred? That dispensation had not yet been proclaimed to him; he knew nothing about Jesus. But where that dispensation has been published, where the four Gospels and the apostolic…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31And he said … - This was a general acknowledgment of his need of direction. It evinced a humble state of mind. It was an acknowledgment, also, originating probably from this particular passage which he was reading. He did not understand how it could be applied to the Messiah; how the description of his humiliation and condemnation Acts 8:33 could be reconciled to the prevalent ideas of his being a prince and a conqueror. The same sentiment is expressed by…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-40Verses 26-40 Philip was directed to go to a desert. Sometimes God opens a door of opportunity to his ministers in very unlikely places. We should study to do good to those we come into company with by travelling. We should not be so shy of all strangers as some affect to be. As to those of whom we know nothing else, we know this, that they have souls. It is wisdom for men of business to redeem time for holy duties; to fill up every minute with something…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-40Philip obeyed the Holy Spirit and followed the Spirit’s direction. He then took the opportunity to share the message of the gospel with an Ethiopian eunuch (a trusted male official who served a king or queen) on the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. This event shows how effective Philip was in explaining and sharing the Christian message. It also shows his strong commitment to bringing the good news to all people, no matter their social position or…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3129-31. the Spirit said--by an unmistakable voice within, as in Ac 10:19; 16:6, 7. go near and join this chariot--This would reveal to Philip the hitherto unknown object of his journey, and encourage him to expect something.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 8:31

• Ethiopia
• Gaza
• Philip
• Preaching

In the dictionaries

• Believe
• Bitterness
• Consent
• Devout
• Havock
• Join
• Pray
• Regard
• Separate
• Acts of the Apostles

Commentaries on Acts 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings