Act 6:5, 8:5, 35, 40, 21:8 | PNT | STEP | They chose Stephen . He is specially described on account of the glory of martyrdom that so soon followed. Philip . Distinguished as "Philip the evangelist". He gave the gospel to Samaria, converted the eunuch, and afterwards lived and labored at Caesarea ( ). Prochorus , etc. The others are not again mentioned. A proselyte of Antioch . A Gentile (Greek) of the great city of Antioch, who had been converted to Judaism and been circumcised. This is the meaning of "proselyte" in the New Testament.

Acts 6:5

They chose Stephen. He is specially described on account of the glory of martyrdom that so soon followed.

Philip. Distinguished as "Philip the evangelist". He gave the gospel to Samaria, converted the eunuch, and afterwards lived and labored at Caesarea (Ac 21:8).

Prochorus, etc. The others are not again mentioned.

A proselyte of Antioch. A Gentile (Greek) of the great city of Antioch, who had been converted to Judaism and been circumcised. This is the meaning of "proselyte" in the New Testament.

Acts 8:5

Philip. This was not Philip, the apostle, for all the apostles remained at Jerusalem, but Philip, one of the seven (Ac 6:5).

The city of Samaria. The Greek does not render it certain that this was the capital named Samaria, as there is no definite article. It is literally "a city of Samaria". The district (see map) lies between Judea and Galilee. Samaria and Sychar were, at this time, two of its principal cities. It was probably one or the other of these to which Philip went.

Acts 8:35

Then Philip . . . preached unto him Jesus. He showed the prophecies of the Messiah, that it behooved him to suffer, die, and rise again, and that he commanded his gospel to be preached and believers to be baptized in his name. That the eunuch calls for baptism (Ac 8:36) shows that in preaching Jesus, Philip preached the rite.

Acts 8:40

But Philip was found at Azotus. The old Philistine city of Ashdod, near the seacoast, between Gaza and Joppa. It is now a ruin. Here he preached in all the seacoast cities, probably founding churches. See Ac 9:32,36.

Till he came to Caesarea, the seaport northwest of Jerusalem, the Roman capital of Judea. We are not told how soon he reached Caesarea. It may have been months or years. At any rate, it is likely that it did not take place until after Peter's missionary work there. Many years later we find Philip living in this city (Ac 21:8).

Acts 21:8

Came to Caesarea. By land, a distance of thirty to forty miles. Paul had been here twice before (Ac 9:30 18:22). The place is memorable for the conversion of the first Gentiles.

Entered into the house of Philip. The evangelist of whose work we have an account in Ac 8:4-12,26-40, nearly a quarter of a century before. The last account of him shows him preaching in the cities of the seacoast (Ac 8:40). In one of these we now find him settled.