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.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.
- BSB “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
- NKJV And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
- NASB And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The official admitted he could not understand without a guide and invited Philip to sit with him. Genuine faith is humble and teachable.
Overview
His honest acknowledgment that he needed someone to explain the text shows the proper posture of a learner. God ordinarily uses human teachers to open his word, which is why he sent Philip. The eunuch's humility and openness contrast with the proud resistance of others in Acts and prepare him to receive the good news.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Rom 10:14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
- Ps 73:16–17When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
- Isa 29:18–19And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
- Prov 30:2–3Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
- Ps 25:8–9Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
- Matt 18:3–4And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- 1 Cor 8:2And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
- 1 Cor 14:36–37What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
- 2 Kgs 5:26And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
- Mark 10:15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
- 2 Kgs 10:15–16And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
- 1 Pet 2:1–2Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
- 2 Kgs 5:9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
- Isa 35:8And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
- Jas 1:10But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
- 1 Cor 3:18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- Ps 73:22So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
- Jas 1:21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 8:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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