Acts 8 · Verse 30

Acts 8:30

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
Acts 8:30, King James Version

Acts 8:30 in other translations

BSBSo Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
WEBPhilip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
ASVAnd Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
YLTand Philip having run near, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, ‘Dost thou then know what thou dost read?'
DARBYAnd Philip, running up, heard him reading the prophet Esaias, and said, Dost thou then know what thou art reading of?
BBEAnd Philip, running up to him, saw that he was reading Isaiah the prophet, and said to him, Is the sense of what you are reading clear to you?
WebsterAnd Philip ran thither to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

What does Acts 8:30 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 8:29-31

29-31. the Spirit said--by an unmistakable voice within, as in Ac 10:19; 16:6, 7. go near and join this chariot--This would reveal to Philip the hitherto unknown object of his journey, and encourage him to expect something.

Read the full comment on Acts 8:29-31 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 30. And Philip ran, etc. Indicating his haste, and his desire to obey the suggestions of the Spirit. A thousand difficulties might have been started in the mind of Philip if he had reflected a little. The eunuch was a stranger; he had the appearance of a man of rank; he was engaged in reading; he might be indisposed to be interrupted or to converse, etc. But Philip obeyed without any hesitation the monitions of the Spirit, and ran to him. It is well to follow the first suggestions of the Spirit; to yield to the clear indications of duty, and to perform it at once. Especially in a deed of benevolence, and in conversing with others on the subject of religion, our first thoughts are commonly safest and best. If we do not follow them, the calculations of avarice, or fear, or some worldly prudence, are very apt to come in. We become alarmed; we are afraid of the rich and the great; and we suppose that our conversation and admonitions will be unacceptable. We may learn from this case,

(1.) to do our duty at once, without hesitation or debate.

(2.) We shall often be disappointed in regard to subjects of this kind. We shall find candid, humble, Christian conversation far more acceptable to strangers, to the rich, and to the great, than we commonly suppose. If, as in this case, they are alone; if we approach them kindly; if we do not rudely and harshly address them, we shall find most men willing to talk on the subject of religion. I have conversed with some hundreds of persons on the subject of religion, and do not now recollect but two instances in which I was rudely treated, and in which it was not easy to gain a respectful and kind attention to Christian conversation.

And heard him read. He was reading loud--sometimes the best way of impressing truth on the mind in our private reading the Scriptures.

And said, etc. This question, there might have been reason to fear, would not be kindly received. But the eunuch's mind was in such a state that he took no offence from such inquiry, though made by a foot-man and a stranger. He doubtless recognized him as a brother Jew. It is an important question to ask ourselves when we read the sacred Scriptures.

(c) "Understandest thou what thou readest? Mt 13:23,51, Eph 5:17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 30 Heard him read the Prophet Esaias - The eunuch, it seems, was reading aloud, and apparently in Greek, for that was the common language in Egypt; and, indeed, almost in every place it was understood. And it appears that it was the Greek version of the Septuagint that he was reading, as the quotation below is from that version.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 8:26-40

Philip was directed to go to a desert. Sometimes God opens a door of opportunity to his ministers in very unlikely places. We should study to do good to those we come into company with by travelling. We should not be so shy of all strangers as some affect to be. As to those of whom we know nothing else, we know this, that they have souls. It is wisdom for men of business to redeem time for holy duties; to fill up…

Read the full comment on Acts 8:26-40 →

Acts 8:30 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

προσδραμὼνprosdramōnHaving run upG4370
δὲdethenG1161
ὁho<the>G3588
ΦίλιπποςPhilipposPhilipG5376
ἤκουσενēkousenheardG191
αὐτοῦautouwhen heG846
ἀναγινώσκοντοςanaginōskontosis readingG314
ἨσαΐανĒsaianIsaiahG2268
τὸνtontheG3588
προφήτηνprophētēnprophetG4396
καὶkaiandG2532
εἶπεν·eipensaid;G2036
ἆράaraSurely notG687
γεgealsoG1065
γινώσκειςginōskeisunderstand youG1097
ἃhawhatG3739
ἀναγινώσκεις;anaginōskeisyou are reading?G314

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 8:30

  • Luke 24:44-45

    And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

  • John 5:39

    Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

  • Ephesians 5:17

    Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

  • Matthew 15:10

    And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

  • Matthew 13:23

    But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

  • Matthew 13:51

    Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

  • Matthew 24:15

    When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

  • Ecclesiastes 9:10

    Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

  • Mark 13:14

    But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains:

  • Matthew 13:19

    When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

  • Acts 8:27

    And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

  • 1 Corinthians 14:19

    Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ran thither.
27; Ps 119:32; Ec 9:10; Joh 4:34
Understandest.
Mt 13:19,23,51; 15:10; 24:15; Mr 13:14; Lu 24:44-45; Joh 5:39
1Co 14:19; Eph 5:17; Re 13:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 8:29

    Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

  • Acts 8:30

    And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

  • Acts 8:31

    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.

Read all of Acts 8

Acts 8:30 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y acudiendo Felipe, le oyó que leía el profeta Isaías, y dijo: Mas ¿entiendes lo que lees?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Philippe étant accouru, l’entendit qui lisait le prophète Ésaïe; et il dit: Mais comprends-tu ce que tu lis?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Philippus aber lief hinzu und hörte ihn den Propheten Jesaias lesen und sprach: Verstehst du auch, was du liesest?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Accurrens autem Philippus, audivit eum legentem Isaiam prophetam, et dixit: Putasne intelligis quæ legis?