25 And they, when G3303 G3767 they had testified G1263 and G2532 preached G2980 the word G3056 of the Lord, G2962 returned G5290 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2419 and G5037 preached the gospel G2097 in many G4183 villages G2968 of the Samaritans. G4541
And G2532 sent G649 messengers G32 before G4253 his G846 face: G4383 and G2532 they went, G4198 and entered G1525 into G1519 a village G2968 of the Samaritans, G4541 to G5620 make ready G2090 for him. G846 And G2532 they did G1209 not G3756 receive G1209 him, G846 because G3754 his G846 face G4383 was G2258 as though he would go G4198 to G1519 Jerusalem. G2419 And G1161 when his G846 disciples G3101 James G2385 and G2532 John G2491 saw G1492 this, they said, G2036 Lord, G2962 wilt thou G2309 that we command G2036 fire G4442 to come down G2597 from G575 heaven, G3772 and G2532 consume G355 them, G846 even G2532 as G5613 Elias G2243 did? G4160 But G1161 he turned, G4762 and rebuked G2008 them, G846 and G2532 said, G2036 Ye know G1492 not G3756 what manner G3634 of spirit G4151 ye G5210 are of. G2075 For G1063 the Son G5207 of man G444 is G2064 not G3756 come G2064 to destroy G622 men's G444 lives, G5590 but G235 to save G4982 them. And G2532 they went G4198 to G1519 another G2087 village. G2968
And G1161 ye G5210 also G2532 shall bear witness, G3140 because G3754 ye have been G2075 with G3326 me G1700 from G575 the beginning. G746
But G235 ye shall receive G2983 power, G1411 after that the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 is come G1904 upon G1909 you: G5209 and G2532 ye shall be G2071 witnesses G3144 unto me G3427 both G5037 in G1722 Jerusalem, G2419 and G2532 in G1722 all G3956 Judaea, G2449 and G2532 in Samaria, G4540 and G2532 unto G2193 the uttermost part G2078 of the earth. G1093
But G1161 Philip G5376 was found G2147 at G1519 Azotus: G108 and G2532 passing G1330 through he preached G2097 in all G3956 the cities, G4172 till G2193 he G846 came G2064 to G1519 Caesarea. G2542
Having G5177 therefore G3767 obtained G5177 help G1947 of G3844 God, G2316 I continue G2476 unto G891 this G5026 day, G2250 witnessing G3140 both G5037 to small G3398 and G2532 great, G3173 saying G3004 none other things G3762 than G1622 those which G3739 G5037 the prophets G4396 and G2532 Moses G3475 did say G2980 should G3195 come: G1096 That G1487 Christ G5547 should suffer, G3805 and that G1487 he should be the first G4413 that should rise G386 from G1537 the dead, G3498 and should G3195 shew G2605 light G5457 unto the people, G2992 and G2532 to the Gentiles. G1484
And G1161 when they had appointed G5021 him G846 a day, G2250 there came G2240 many G4119 to G4314 him G846 into G1519 his lodging; G3578 to whom G3739 he expounded G1620 and testified G1263 the kingdom G932 of God, G2316 G5037 persuading G3982 them G846 concerning G4012 Jesus, G2424 both G5037 out of G575 the law G3551 of Moses, G3475 and G2532 out of the prophets, G4396 from G575 morning G4404 till G2193 evening. G2073
Preaching G2784 the kingdom G932 of God, G2316 and G2532 teaching G1321 those things which concern G4012 the Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 with G3326 all G3956 confidence, G3954 no man forbidding him. G209
By G1223 Silvanus, G4610 a faithful G4103 brother G80 unto you, G5213 as G5613 I suppose, G3049 I have written G1125 briefly, G1223 G3641 exhorting, G3870 and G2532 testifying G1957 that this G5026 is G1511 the true G227 grace G5485 of God G2316 wherein G1519 G3739 ye stand. G2476
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 8
Commentary on Acts 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
In this chapter we have an account of the persecutions of the Christians, and the propagating of Christianity thereby. It was strange, but very true, that the disciples of Christ the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied.
Act 8:1-3
In these verses we have,
Act 8:4-13
Samson's riddle is here again unriddled: Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness. The persecution that was designed to extirpate the church was by the overruling providence of God made an occasion of the enlargement of it. Christ had said, I am come to send fire on the earth; and they thought, by scattering those who were kindled with that fire, to have put it out, but instead of this they did but help to spread it.
Act 8:14-25
God had wonderfully owned Philip in his work as an evangelist at Samaria, but he could do no more than an evangelist; there were some peculiar powers reserved to the apostles, for the keeping up of the dignity of their office, and here we have an account of what was done by two of them there-Peter and John. The twelve kept together at Jerusalem (v. 1), and thither these good tidings were brought them that Samaria had received the word of God (v. 14), that a great harvest of souls was gathered, and was likely to be gathered in to Christ there. The word of God was not only preached to them, but received by them; they bade it welcome, admitted the light of it, and submitted to the power of it: When they heard it, they sent unto them Peter and John. If Peter had been, as some say he was, the prince of the apostles, he would have sent some of them, or, if he had seen cause, would have gone himself of his own accord; but he was so far from this that he submitted to an order of the house, and, as a servant to the body, went whither they sent him. Two apostles were sent, the two most eminent, to Samaria,
Act 8:26-40
We have here the story of the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch to the faith of Christ, by whom, we have reason to think, the knowledge of Christ was sent into that country where he lived, and that scripture fulfilled, Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands (one of the first of the nations) unto God, Ps. 68:31.