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Name: Haylee Kachner
Date: 03/01/2021
Section: B69
New Testament Bible Study Assignment
Passage: Acts 8:26-39
Instructions:
For this assignment, you will be studying a story from the book of Acts. More specifically, you
will be studying the narrative of Philip and the Ethiopian from Acts 8:26-39. You will use the
template below to complete a study of this passage. In your study, you will use the skills of
Observation, Interpretation, Correlation, and Application that you have become familiar with
through your reading in Everyday Bible Study.
I. Observation
A. I have read Acts 8:26-39 in both a formal translation (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, or CSB)
and a functional translation (NIV, NLT, or NCV). Highlight the correct answer. You will
find a copy of the NASB, ESV, CSB, and NLT in your myWSB Library.
o Yes
o No
B. Having read the passage in both formal and functional translation, list at least 2 similarities
and 3 differences between the way both translations cover this story. You may list as many
similarities and differences that you find as long as you meet the minimum amount.
Similarities
Differences
Verse 30:
In both translations Philip asks the eunuch,
“Do you understand what you are
reading?”.
Verse 27:
ESV: “And he rose and went. And there was
an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of
Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in
charge of all her treasure. He had come to
Jerusalem to worship”.
NLT: “So he started out, and he met the
treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great
authority under the Kandake, the queen of
Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem
to worship”.
Verse 35:
Philip started with the Scripture from
Isaiah and used it to tell the eunuch the
“Good News about Jesus”.
Verse 29:
ESV: “And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over
and join this chariot’”.
NLT: “The Holy Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go
over and walk along beside the carriage’”.
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Verse 38:
The eunuch saw the water and wanted to
be baptized. So, the two men stopped, and
Philip baptized him.
Verse 34:
ESV: “And the eunuch said to Philip, ‘About
whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this,
about himself or about someone else?’”.
NLT: “The eunuch asked Philip, ‘Tell me, was
the prophet talking about himself or someone
else?’”.
C. Identify the basic elements of the story you are studying
1. Main characters: (List them)
Philip, Ethiopian eunuch
2. Plot: (50-100 words)
God sends an angel to tell Philip to go to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza,
so Philip rose and followed the angel’s instructions. While on the road, Philip came
across an Ethiopian eunuch that held great authority. The eunuch was on his way
home from Jerusalem and was reading from the book of Isaiah. The Holy Spirit told
Philip to approach the eunuch and speak with him. The man started asking Philip
questions about the Scripture and Philip seized the opportunity to tell him about the
good news of Jesus. This led to Philip baptizing the eunuch.
3. Story structure: (50-100 words)
Introduction:
An angel of the Lord tells Philip to travel down the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.
Inciting Incident:
Philip comes across an Ethiopian eunuch reading from the book of Isaiah, and the
Spirit tells him to go and join the eunuch.
Rising Action:
Philip approaches the eunuch and asks if he understands that which he is reading, so
the eunuch tells Philip to join him in his carriage.
Climax:
Philip uses the Scripture from Isaiah and tells the eunuch of the good news of Jesus.
Falling Action:
Philip and the eunuch came across some water during their journey, and the eunuch
desired to be baptized. So, they stopped the carriage and Philip baptized the Ethiopian
man.
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Resolution:
Afterwards, the eunuch continued on his way rejoicing. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit
took Philip to the town of Azotus. From there Philip preached the good news in every
town until he came to Caesarea.
C. List basic observations about this passage using the “Key Question” for observation.
Remember to consult the chapter “How to Ask Key Questions” (Chapter 17) and the
chapter on studying Acts (Chapter 37). This will help you be more detailed in your
answers to “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how.”
1. Who:
a. An angel of the Lord
b. Philip
c. Ethiopian eunuch
d. The Holy Spirit
2. What:
a. The angel told Philip to travel along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.
b. Philip met an Ethiopian eunuch that was reading from Isaiah.
c. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go and join the eunuch.
d. Philip approached the man and was offered to join him in his carriage.
e. The eunuch asks Philip questions about the text and Philip tells him of the
good news of Jesus.
f. The eunuch desires to be baptized when they come across some water.
g. Philip baptized the man and gets taken by the Holy Spirit.
h. The eunuch continues on his journey and rejoices.
i. Philip is brought to the town of Azotus and preached the good news of Jesus
there.
3. Where:
a. On the road between Jerusalem and Gaza
b. “a desert place”
c. A body of water
d. The town of Azotus
4. When:
a. After Philip has finished his mission to Samaria
5. Why:
a. Why did the angel tell Philip to travel along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza?
Philip is supposed to meet the Ethiopian eunuch because that is what God has
planned, but Philip does not know that.
b. Why was the eunuch traveling on this road?
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The eunuch was on his way home from Jerusalem, where he went to worship.
c. Why does the eunuch want to be baptized?
Philip tells the eunuch about the good news of Jesus and he is spiritually moved
by Philip’s words.
d. Why does the Holy Spirit snatch Philip away?
Philip has completed his work with the eunuch by baptizing him, so he is taken to
the town of Azotus. There he begins a journey to Caesarea and preaches the good
news of Jesus in every town along the way.
6. How:
a. How did the Lord give Philip instructions?
He first gives Philip instructions through an angel and then through the Holy
Spirit.
b. How did Philip’s explanation of the good news of Jesus affect the eunuch?
The good news made the eunuch desire to be baptized by Philip.
c. How did the eunuch react after being baptized?
The eunuch continued on his way to Ethiopia and rejoiced the whole way. He
probably told others about the good news of Jesus.
II. Interpretation
A. Determine the author’s main point. In 1-2 paragraphs (100-400 words) explain what you
think the author is trying to communicate in this passage. Remember two things. First,
this passage is made up of both action and dialogue. Thus, this passage is both showing
and telling us something. Second, words like “I,” “We,” “Us, and “Our” are application
words and not interpretation words. Interpretation is about “then and there” and not “here
and now.” We were not there so the passage is not about us. Our “part” in the passage is
the application or how we will respond to God’s Word.
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch emphasizes the point that the good news of
Jesus is for all people. The eunuch is an outsider that had traveled to Jerusalem to worship and
was on his journey home. He was having a difficult time comprehending the words of Isaiah and
the promise of a messiah. So, Philip preached to the man and he became saved. God wants
everyone to be saved from sin and an eternity in hell, which is why He sent Jesus. Through the
works of Jesus, anyone can be saved and share the good news for themselves.
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This passage also highlights Philip’s obedience to the Holy Spirit. When the angel first
approached him and said to travel down a desert road, Philip did not hesitate or argue. Philip just
went and had faith that God was in control. In the same way, Philip did not hesitate to preach the
good news when the Holy Spirit suddenly took him away from the eunuch. He simply did what
he was destined to, which was spread the good news of Jesus to all people.
B. Based on your answer above, write out one principle from this passage. You should be able
to express this principle in 1-3 sentences.
Anyone can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ and, therefore, spread the good news of Jesus
to others. Through Jesus, anyone can become a Christian and worship Him.
III. Correlation
A. How does this passage from Acts fit within the metanarrative of the Bible? State that type of
story you believe this to be (creation, fall, redemption, or new creation) and explain why
you believe this to be so? Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in
length.
The passage from Acts fits within the “new creation” theme of the metanarrative of the
Bible. This passage highlights the power of faith and the spread of the good news of Jesus. Philip
has faith that the Holy Spirit will guide him and trusts that there is reasoning behind him
traveling on a desert road. Philip also uses his faith and knowledge to share the good news of
Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch that he encounters. Through Philip’s preaching of the good news,
the eunuch becomes saved and is born again. The eunuch is baptized and rises out of the water a
new man, a man that has been redeemed by Christ. This passage reveals how one can be saved
and reborn in Christ, so that they can live in eternity in Heaven.
B. How does your principle from Acts 8:26-39 fit with the rest of the Scripture? This principle
is the one you have written out in 1-3 sentences in the Interpretation section. If your
principle is a true Biblical principle it will be reflected throughout the Scriptures. Where
is the principle discovered in this New Testament narrative found elsewhere in the
Scriptures? Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in length.
Throughout Scripture there are many instances where the good news of Jesus is preached,
and people are saved. All it takes to be reborn through Christ is faith. The salvation of people
through faith in the good news of Jesus is an underlining theme of the New Testament. God
wants His people to find salvation through the works of His son and has made such things
possible. This principle is very evident in the letters that Paul wrote in the New Testament. Paul
wanted to bring people to God, and he did so by spreading the good news of Jesus. Paul not only
wrote letters, but he took part in multiple missionary journeys across the land to spread the word
by mouth. Overall, the theme of saving people through the spread of the good news of Jesus can
be found in many places in the New Testament.
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C. How does this passage from Acts 8:26-39 reflect the person and work of Jesus Christ?
State and explain at least one way that the principle of this passage identifies something
of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200
words) in length.
This passage reflects the person and work of Jesus Christ because it reaffirms that anyone
can be saved through faith in Him. Jesus came to provide a means of salvation for humanity so
that they can live in eternity with God the Father in Heaven. Through faith in the good news of
Jesus, anyone can be saved and spiritually reborn. This passage from Acts shows how Philip led
an Ethiopian eunuch to salvation by telling him of the good news of Jesus. The eunuch heard
Philip’s words and desired to be baptized. Philip baptized him, and the eunuch became reborn in
Christ and rejoiced.
IV. Application
What points of application can be made using the Four Questions for Application? State and
explain 1 point of application for each of these four questions. Your explanation for each of
these points should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in length.
A. The question of duty
We as Christians have the duty to follow God’s words and trust in Him. We must have
faith that God will provide the means, even if we cannot see the bigger picture. God is always in
control and He has a plan. We also have the duty to spread the good news of Jesus to others, so
that we may bring them closer to God. In this passage, Philip is faithful to God and listens
without hesitation when he is told to travel down a desert road. Philip also brings an Ethiopian
eunuch to salvation by sharing the good news of Jesus with him. It is our duty as Christians to
spread the good news of Jesus and bring others to salvation.
B. The question of character
Through the acts of Philip, we see that we must have faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit speaks to us, we are called to listen with open ears and open hearts. God
does not do anything on accident, there is always a purpose. We have to be actively listening and
be willing to do whatever the Holy Spirit tells us to do. For example, Philip did not question why
he was being sent to travel down the desert road, he just went. Philip knew that God had a plan
and trusted that He would provide. We must also be willing and unafraid to share the good news
of Jesus. Philip did not hesitate when approaching the eunuch and sharing the good news, instead
he was eager and willing. This led to the eunuch becoming saved and the start of his relationship
with God. All in all, we are called to be faithful and spread the good news of Jesus to others.
C. The question of goals
It is always good to have goals on life, but those goals must align with the values that God
deems important. We must also realize that our goals do not control our life, God does. Due to
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this, our goals must be able to be changed and reshaped. Our biggest goal as Christians should be
to bring others to salvation because that is God’s purpose for our lives. God wants all people to
be saved and live eternity in Heaven, but He relies on us to do the works. We must make it a
point to spread the good news of Jesus to everyone that we meet.
C. The question of discernment
As Christians, we have the responsibility of discernment and determining what is right and
what is wrong in the eyes of God. To do this, we must have knowledge of God and His works.
This knowledge comes from reading and analyzing Scripture. By being able to discern, we can
think biblically about all aspects of life. There are many instances in Scripture where people
have to use the skill of discernment in some way. One example from the Acts passage is when
Philip has to realize that the Holy Spirit was telling him to go down the desert road. Philip used
discernment to see that God was the one that wanted him to go, not anyone else. In the same
way, we must judge all things in a biblical manner. Discernment is important in all areas of life
as a Follower of God.
