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.
• New International Version (NIV)“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to 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.

Context of Acts 8:31

29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” 30Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. 32The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 33He was humiliated and received no 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 25:8The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
• Psalms 73:16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
• Proverbs 30:2I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.
• Isaiah 29:18In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book, and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness.
• Isaiah 35:8And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there.
• Matthew 18:3Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Mark 10:15I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
• Romans 10:14But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.
• 1 Corinthians 8:2Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.
• 1 Corinthians 14:36Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given?
• James 1:10And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.
• 1 Peter 2:1So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
• 2 Kings 5:9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house.
• 2 Kings 10:15When Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab, who was coming to meet him. After they had greeted each other, Jehu said to him, “Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?” “Yes, I am,” Jehonadab replied. “If you are,” Jehu said, “then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab put out his hand, and Jehu helped him 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