Person in the New Testament
Philip (the evangelist of the seven)
Philip: the evangelist of the seven who preached in Samaria and to the eunuch
Portrait: an AI-generated artistic interpretation, not evidence of how Philip looked.
Who Philip is
Philip is named second among seven men chosen by the multitude at Jerusalem, after the twelve ask for men of honest report to be appointed over the daily ministration, and the apostles pray and lay hands on them. After the persecution that follows Stephen's death scatters the church, Philip goes down to the city of Samaria and preaches Christ. The people give heed, unclean spirits come out and the lame and palsied are healed, and there is great joy in the city. Those who believe are baptized, men and women, and Simon, who had used sorcery there, believes, is baptized and stays with Philip. An angel then sends Philip toward Gaza, where the Spirit tells him to join a chariot carrying an Ethiopian eunuch reading Esaias. Philip asks whether he understands, preaches Jesus from that same scripture, and baptizes him at water on the way. The Spirit catches Philip away, and he is found at Azotus and preaches through the cities to Cesarea. Much later Paul's company lodges at his house there, where his four daughters, virgins, prophesy.
Cited passages: Acts 6:3, Acts 6:5, Acts 6:6, Acts 8:1, Acts 8:2, Acts 8:5, Acts 8:6, Acts 8:7, Acts 8:8, Acts 8:12, Acts 8:13, Acts 8:26, Acts 8:29, Acts 8:30, Acts 8:35, Acts 8:38, Acts 8:39, Acts 8:40, Acts 21:8, Acts 21:9
Historical setting
This Philip is not the apostle of the same name, and Acts keeps the two apart in its own wording. Philip the apostle is listed in the upper room in the first chapter, before the seven are chosen in the sixth. When persecution scatters the church, the text says all were scattered except the apostles, and it is this Philip who then goes to Samaria; afterward the apostles who remain at Jerusalem send Peter and John down to the city where he has already preached. Acts 21:8 settles the identification by calling him the evangelist and one of the seven. The text gives him no father, no birthplace and no account of his death, and it does not name the eunuch. His condition for baptism and the eunuch's answer are recorded, and the four daughters are said to prophesy without any of their words being given.
Cited passages: Acts 1:13, Acts 6:5, Acts 8:1, Acts 8:5, Acts 8:14, Acts 21:8, Acts 8:27, Acts 8:37, Acts 21:9
How the story is told
Philip is appointed to relieve the apostles of serving tables, yet every scene after the appointment shows him preaching, and the narrative never remarks on the difference. His movements run outward from Jerusalem in stages, to a Samaritan city, to a desert road, then through the coastal cities to Cesarea, and each move is prompted rather than chosen: an angel sends him south, the Spirit tells him to approach the chariot, and the Spirit removes him afterward. The roadside scene works by questions, one from Philip about understanding and two from the eunuch, and ends with the eunuch going on rejoicing while Philip is gone. Years later the narrative returns to him only as a house where Paul's company stays, and the address there includes his daughters.
Cited passages: Acts 6:2, Acts 6:3, Acts 8:5, Acts 8:26, Acts 8:29, Acts 8:39, Acts 8:40, Acts 8:30, Acts 8:31, Acts 8:34, Acts 21:8, Acts 21:9
Story moments
- Chosen among seven (Acts 6:5). The multitude chooses Philip with six others to be set before the apostles.
- Preaching in Samaria (Acts 8:5). Scattered by persecution, Philip goes to a Samaritan city and preaches Christ.
- Sent toward Gaza (Acts 8:26). An angel tells him to go south to the desert road from Jerusalem.
- A question at the chariot (Acts 8:30). He runs to the reading eunuch and asks whether he understands the text.
- Baptism on the road (Acts 8:38). The chariot stops and Philip baptizes the eunuch in water beside the way.
- Found at Azotus (Acts 8:40). Carried away by the Spirit, he preaches through the cities as far as Cesarea.
- The evangelist's house (Acts 21:8). Paul's company stays at his house in Cesarea, where he is called one of the seven.
Key passages
Acts 6:5
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Acts 8:5
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Acts 8:6
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
Acts 8:12
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:13
Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Acts 8:26
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
King James Version. 16 indexed passages in total.
For reflection
Philip is taken away before the eunuch can say anything more, and the text follows the eunuch on his way rejoicing rather than following Philip. What does that ending suggest about where the account places its interest?
Books Philip appears in
Related people
Names and references are adapted from STEPBible TIPNR. A person listed with a verse is named or indexed there; it does not mean they wrote or spoke it.