Acts 8:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

NIV: As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?'

NASB: As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, 'Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?'

CSB: As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's water. What would keep me from being baptized? "

NLT: As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?'

KJV: And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

NKJV: Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

By the leading of an angelic message, Philip has come upon an Ethiopian court official who is reading from Isaiah 53:7–8 which prophesies the abuse and death of the Suffering Servant (Acts 8:26–33). Philip explains how the passage talks about Jesus of Nazareth, how the prophecy was fulfilled, and how Jesus now offers salvation (Acts 8:35). The Ethiopian quickly accepts Philip's explanation as well as the forgiveness of Jesus.

The area where they are is described as a "desert place" (Acts 8:26). That doesn't mean it's nothing but sand and rock, it just means it's uninhabited. Even grassland and wilderness in Israel can have pools or streams of running water. It's reasonable to think that if the Holy Spirit could show Philip how to get to the Ethiopian, He could do so near water enough to be baptized.

In the early church, new converts were baptized immediately (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 9:18; 10:47–48; 16:15, 33; 19:5). Baptism was a sign that a person accepted the message of a teacher and wanted to publicly identify with that message. Today, churches tend to have a person go through a class to make sure they understand Christianity and what baptism represents. That didn't happen in the early church, and sometimes unbelievers got caught up in the enthusiasm and were baptized without being saved—which seemed to be the case with Simon the magician (Acts 8:13).

It's important to understand the biblical meaning of baptism. It means someone is voluntarily identifying themselves with the universal church established by Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today, a church may require such a step of obedience as a condition for membership in that congregation. However, baptism doesn't primarily mean a person is joining some sect or denomination. In the same way, it neither proves a person is saved, nor is it required for salvation.

Acts 8:26–40 completes the story of Philip's early ministry. Driven out of Jerusalem by persecution, he first travels north into Samaria and spreads the gospel to a people Jews had believed accursed (Acts 8:5–13). Now, an angel tells him to go south where he meets an official of the Ethiopian court who is reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip's ministry shows that God doesn't care if someone is born into His chosen people, or are ethnically and theologically confused, or are even a foreign eunuch. He loves equally and desires that everyone will repent and come to Him.

Jesus told the apostles they would spread the gospel (Acts 1:8) and persecution makes that happen. Upon the death of the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:54–60), a young Pharisee named Saul builds on the momentum to arrest and, if possible, execute Jesus followers (Acts 8:1–3; 26:10). The apostles mostly stay in Jerusalem, but the church members flee, spreading the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Important encounters in this passage include a magician named Simon and the conversion of an Ethiopian court official.

Acts 1:8 gives the outline of the book of Acts; Acts 1—7 describes the spread of the gospel through Jerusalem; Acts 8:1—11:18 shows the gospel spreading in Judea and Samaria; Acts 11:19—28:31 sees the gospel spread to the ''end of the earth,'' finalizing in Rome. Ironically, although Paul is the central figure in spreading Jesus' good news to the ends of the earth, his early persecution of the church in Jerusalem is instrumental in spreading the gospel through Judea and Samaria.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.