Bible/Acts/8

Acts 8:31

8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
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.

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He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

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.

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.

8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

What does Acts 8:31 mean?

Acts 8:31 is a verse in the book of Acts, in the New Testament. In the original Greek, key words include δέ (de), λέγω (epo), γάρ (gar). It connects to 17 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Greek interlinear

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Andδέde/deh/G1161a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
he
said,λέγωepo/ep'-o/G2036a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from 2046, 4483, and 5346); to speak or say (by word or writing):--answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell. Compare 3004.
Howγάρgar/gar/G1063a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
can
I,ἄνan/an/G302a primary particle, denoting a supposition, wish, possibility or uncertainty:--(what-, where-, wither-, who-)soever. Usually unexpressed except by the subjunctive or potential mood. Also contracted for 1437.
exceptἐὰνeanG3362i.e. 1437 and 3361; if not, i.e. unless:--X before, but, except, if, no, (if, + whosoever) not.
some
manτὶςtis/tis/G5100an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).
should
guideὁδηγέωhodegeo/hod-ayg-eh'-o/G3594from 3595; to show the way (literally or figuratively (teach)):--guide, lead.
me?ἐγώme/meh/G3165a shorter (and probably originally) from of 1691; me:--I, me, my.
Andτέte/teh/G5037a primary particle (enclitic) of connection or addition; both or also (properly, as correlation of 2532):--also, and, both, even, then, whether. Often used in composition, usually as the latter participle.
he
desiredπαρακαλέωparakaleo/par-ak-al-eh'-o/G3870from 3844 and 2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation):--beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.
PhilipΦίλιπποςPhilippos/fil'-ip-pos/G5376from 5384 and 2462; fond of horses; Philippus, the name of four Israelites:--Philip.
that
he
would
come
upἀναβαίνωanabaino/an-ab-ah'-ee-no/G305from 303 and the base of 939; to go up (literally or figuratively):--arise, ascend (up), climb (go, grow, rise, spring) up, come (up).
and
sitκαθίζωkathizo/kath-id'-zo/G2523another (active) form for 2516; to seat down, i.e. set (figuratively, appoint); intransitively, to sit (down); figuratively, to settle (hover, dwell):--continue, set, sit (down), tarry.
withσύνsun/soon/G4862a primary preposition denoting union; with or together (but much closer than 3326 or 3844), i.e. by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.:--beside, with. In composition it has similar applications, including completeness.
him.αὐτόςautos/ow-tos'/G846from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare 848.

Commentary on Acts 8:31

HENRY_FULL · Acts 8:31
sciples of Christ the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied. I. Here is the church suffering; upon the occasion of putting Stephen to death a very sharp storm arose, which forced many from Jerusalem, ver. 1-3 . II. Here is the church spreading by the ministry of Philip and others that were dispersed upon that occasion. We have here, 1. The gospel brought to Samaria, preached there ( ver. 4, 5 ), embraced there ( ver. 6-8 ), even by Simon Magus ( ver. 9-13 ); the gift of the Holy Ghost conferred upon some of the believing Samaritans by the imposition of the hands of Peter and John ( ver. 14-17 ); and the severe rebuke given by Peter to Simon Magus for offering money for a power to bestow that gift, ver. 18-25 . 2. The gospel sent to Ethiopia, by the eunuch, a person of quality of that country. He is returning home in his chariot from Jerusalem, ver. 26-28 . Philip is sent to him, and in his chariot preaches Christ to him ( ver. 29-35 ), baptizes him upon his profession of the Christian faith ( ver. 36-38 ), and the leaves him, ver. 39, 40 . Thus in different ways and methods the gospel was dispersed among the nations, and, one way or other, "Have they not all heard?" Persecution of the Church. 1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abro

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 23:2

And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Genesis 50:10

And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

Genesis 50:11

And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan. Abelmizraim: that is, The mourning of the Egyptians

Numbers 20:29

And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

Deuteronomy 34:8

And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

1 Samuel 28:3

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

2 Samuel 3:31

And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. bier: Heb. bed

2 Chronicles 32:33

And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. chiefest: or, highest

2 Chronicles 35:25

And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.

Isaiah 57:1

The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. merciful: Heb. men of kindness, or, godliness from: or, from that which is evil

Isaiah 57:2

He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. enter into: or, go in in his: or, before him

Jeremiah 22:10

Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.

Jeremiah 22:18

Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!

Luke 2:25

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

John 11:31

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

Acts 2:5

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Acts 10:2

A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

Topics

Ethiopia

People & places in this verse

People

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Acts 8:31.

Mark 11:13

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

Mark 4:22

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

Mark 7:10

For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

Mark 7:27

But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

Mark 7:3

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. oft: or, diligently: in the original, with the fist: Theophylact, up to the elbow

Mark 8:26

And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

Mark 8:3

And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

Mark 9:39

But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

Frequently asked questions

What does Acts 8:31 say?

Acts 8:31 (King James Version) reads: "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."

Is Acts 8:31 in the Old or New Testament?

Acts 8:31 is in the New Testament of the Bible, in the book of Acts.

Reflect

As you read Acts 8:31, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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8:30Read all of Acts 88:32