In August 2025, my son and I traveled to Japan for almost two weeks. Our Japanese was limited. Fortunately, we both had a translation app on our phones. As long as the person spoke into our phone, it would translate what they said into English. The key was to get the person to speak loudly and directly into our phone. Only then could we understand.
While Philip was doing ministry in a city in Samaria, an angel of the Lord directed him to travel a desert road to Gaza. While traveling, he encountered a man from Ethiopia who was reading the book of Isaiah. Because reading silently was not practiced regularly until the fourth century, the Ethiopian was reading out loud, which allowed Philip to hear and possibly translate what he was saying.
After approaching the chariot, Philip asked the man if he knew what he was reading. The man did not, so he invited Philip into his chariot to explain. The man, a eunuch, was reading Isaiah 53:7b-8a. “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth” (vv. 32–33).
The man was curious. He wanted to know if the prophet was speaking about himself or someone else. Philip took the opportunity to tell him the good news about Jesus Christ. The man was baptized by Philip, and the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away to Azotus while the man went on his way rejoicing! This was the second Gentile highlighted in Acts. The “ends of the earth” were being reached.
Go Deeper
What an encouragement this is to us to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Has the Lord directed you to speak to someone about Jesus? Have you thought about how to begin a spiritual conversation?
Pray with Us
Who are you putting in our paths to witness to, Lord? Please give us opportunities to be a light for You and to share Your truth with boldness. We don’t want to keep the gospel to ourselves!
Do you understand what you are reading?Acts 8:30
