Thursday, May 20

26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, 'Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is desert.

27So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

28was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

29Then the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go near and overtake this chariot.'

30So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'

31And he said, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?' And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

32The place in the Scripture which he read was this: 'He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

33In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.'

34So the eunuch answered Philip and said, 'I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?'

35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

36Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, 'See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?'

37Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.'

38And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

39Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.'

41The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, 'I am the bread which came down from heaven.'

42And they said, 'Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?'

43Jesus therefore answered and said to them, 'Do not murmur among yourselves.

44No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.