Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26  Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) 27  So he got up and went. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28  and was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. 29  Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30  So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. He asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 31  The man replied, “How in the world can I, unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32  Now the passage of scripture the man was reading was this:

“ He was led like a sheep to slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

33  In humiliation justice was taken from him.*

Who can describe his posterity?

For his life was taken away from the earth.”

34  Then the eunuch said to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?” 35  So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 36  Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?” 37 [fn] 38  So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39  Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but went on his way rejoicing. 40  Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through the area, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

9  Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats to murder the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 2  and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3  As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4  He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5  So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! 6  But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do.” 7  (Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one.) 8  So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus. 9  For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything.

10  Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am, Lord.” 11  Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’ and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, 12  and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.” 13  But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, 14  and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call on your name!” 15  But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. 16  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17  So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18  Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19  and after taking some food, his strength returned.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20  and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This man is the Son of God.” 21  All who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22  But Saul became more and more capable, and was causing consternation among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.