(26)Now the angel of the Lord spake to Philip, saying, Arise, and go towards the south, on the road which leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza: it is a wilderness. (27)And he arose and went: and lo! an Ethiopian man, an eunuch, a person in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury; he had gone to worship unto Jerusalem, (28)and was returning, and sitting in his chariot, was reading the prophet Isaiah. (29)Then said the Spirit to Philip, Go up, and approach close to that chariot. (30)Then Philip running up to him, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah; and he said, Well! but dost thou understand what thou art reading? (31)He replied, How indeed can I, except some person guide me in the way? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. (32)The portion of scripture which he had been reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before him who sheareth it is dumb, so he opened not his mouth: (33)in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: but his generation who can describe? for his life was taken away from the earth[39]." (34)Then the eunuch addressing himself to Philip, said, I pray thee, of whom doth the prophet thus speak? of himself, or of some other person? (35)Then Philip opening his mouth, and beginning from that scripture, preached to him Jesus. (36)But as they went on the road, they came to some water: and the eunuch said, Here is water, what forbids my being baptised? (37)And Philip said, If thou believest with the whole heart, it is allowable. Then he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (38)And he bid the carriage stop: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptised him. (39)But when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more: then he went on his way rejoicing. (40)But Philip found himself at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea. CHAP. IX. BUT Saul, still breathing out threatenings and murder against the disciples of the Lord, applying to the high-priest, (2)besought of him letters for the synagogues at Damascus, that if he should find any persons of this way, whether men or women, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem. (3)So advancing on his journey, he was drawing nigh to Damascus: and suddenly there shone around him a light from heaven: (4)and falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (5)Then said he, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou art persecuting: It is difficult for thee to kick against the goads. (6)And trembling and amazed he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.