The Good News About Jesus — Acts 8:26–40
Oct 9, 2026 11
An Ethiopian official is reading the Bible, but he needs help understanding it. Philip joins him, listens to his question and shares the good news about Jesus. A conversation on a desert road changes the man’s life.
Acts 8:34–35
[34] And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” [35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. (ESV)
An opportunity to explain the Scriptures
Philip has been proclaiming Jesus to crowds in Samaria. Now an angel directs him to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he meets an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official who manages the queen’s treasury. He has been to Jerusalem to worship and is heading home, reading Isaiah (Acts 8:26-28).
The Spirit tells Philip to approach his chariot. Philip hears him reading and asks whether he understands. The man admits he needs someone to guide him and invites Philip to sit with him (Acts 8:29-31).
This encounter involves extraordinary guidance from God. But the opportunity itself is recognisable: someone has a question, and a follower of Jesus helps him understand the Scriptures.
[Watch this week’s video devotion with Dave Miers]
The good news about Jesus from Isaiah
The man is reading Isaiah’s description of a suffering servant, led like a sheep to the slaughter. Whose suffering is this? Beginning with that passage, Philip tells him the good news about Jesus.
Isaiah 53 helps us understand why Jesus suffered. We have all wandered from God like sheep, turning to our own way. Yet the Lord laid our sin on his servant (see Isaiah 53:6).
Jesus is the suffering Saviour who died in our place, for our sin, and rose again. Through trusting him, we receive forgiveness and new life.
Philip points the man to Jesus from the Scriptures. We can do the same. As we talk with friends, family and neighbours, we can open the Bible with them and help them see who Jesus is.
The man responds, is baptised, and goes on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:36-39).
The Good News is…
The Saviour this man discovered is the one we can know too. His journey continues with the joy of knowing Jesus. Have you responded to that good news?
And if you know him, consider who you could introduce to him. God used Philip to explain the Scriptures to one person on a road. An ordinary conversation can be an opportunity to share this extraordinary gospel.
Like and share so others can see Jesus clearly.
Further reading: Acts 8:26-40.
Reflection
Who could you invite to read a passage from the Bible with you and discover what it says about Jesus?
Rev. Dave Miers
President, Good News Unlimited