Bible Strands
Acts 8:39
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch emerge from the baptismal water immediately following the eunuch's immersion. The narrative shifts from their shared ritual to a sudden divine intervention that physically separates them.
The words — ἀνέβησαν (anebēsan) literally means "they came up," marking the conclusion of the descent into the water. πνεῦμα κυρίου (pneuma Kyriou) translates as "Spirit of the Lord," identifying the agent who instantly removes Philip from the scene.
The thread — This motif of the Spirit forcibly transporting a prophet appears in 1 Kings 18:12, 2 Kings 2:16, and Ezekiel 8:3, where divine power abruptly relocates Elijah and Ezekiel for specific missions.
Why it lands — The text records that divine initiative, not human planning, dictates the next phase of ministry. Readers must account for God's sovereign redirection of the gospel across geographical and cultural boundaries.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 18:12 I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
- 2 Kings 2:16 “Look now,” they said to Elisha, “we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.” “Do not send them,” Elisha replied.
- Ezekiel 8:3 He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. Then the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and carried me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes jealousy was seated.
- Ezekiel 43:5 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
- Ezekiel 11:1 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. And there at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people.
- Ezekiel 3:12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me: “Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His dwelling place!”
- Ezekiel 11:24 And the Spirit lifted me up and carried me back to Chaldea, to the exiles in the vision given by the Spirit of God. After the vision had gone up from me,
- 2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.
- Mark 1:10 As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.
- Romans 15:10 Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”