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Selected Verse: Acts 8:31 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 8:31	Strong Concordance	And [1161] he said [2036], How [1063] [4459] can I [302] [1410], except [3362] some man [5100] should guide [3594] me [3165]? And [5037] he desired [3870] Philip [5376] that he would come up [305] and sit [2523] with [4862] him [846].
	King James	And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
How can I, except some man guide me?--Beautiful expression at once of humility and docility; the invitation to Philip which immediately followed, to "come up and sit with him," being but the natural expression of this.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

How can I, except some man guide me?--Beautiful expression at once of humility and docility; the invitation to Philip which immediately followed, to "come up and sit with him," being but the natural expression of this.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And he said ... - This was a general acknowledgment of his need of direction. It evinced a humble state of mind. It was an acknowledgment, also, originating probably from this particular passage which he was reading. He did not understand how it could be applied to the Messiah; how the description of his humiliation and condemnation Act 8:33 could be reconciled to the prevalent ideas of his being a prince and a conqueror. The same sentiment is expressed by Paul in Rom 10:14. The circumstance, the state of mind in the eunuch, and the result, strongly remind one of the declaration in Psa 25:9, "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way." And he desired ... - He was willing to receive instruction, even from a stranger. The rich and the great may often receive valuable instruction from a stranger, and from a poor, unknown man.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And he said ... - This was a general acknowledgment of his need of direction. It evinced a humble state of mind. It was an acknowledgment, also, originating probably from this particular passage which he was reading. He did not understand how it could be applied to the Messiah; how the description of his humiliation and condemnation Act 8:33 could be reconciled to the prevalent ideas of his being a prince and a conqueror. The same sentiment is expressed by Paul in Rom 10:14. The circumstance, the state of mind in the eunuch, and the result, strongly remind one of the declaration in Psa 25:9, "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way."

And he desired ... - He was willing to receive instruction, even from a stranger. The rich and the great may often receive valuable instruction from a stranger, and from a poor, unknown man.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
How can I (πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην)? Lit., for how should I be able? the for connecting the question with an implied negative: "No; for how could I understand except," etc.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

How can I (πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην)?

Lit., for how should I be able? the for connecting the question with an implied negative: "No; for how could I understand except," etc.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
He desired Philip to come up and sit with him - Such was his modesty, and thirst after instruction.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

He desired Philip to come up and sit with him - Such was his modesty, and thirst after instruction.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
How can I, except some man should guide me? - This is no proof that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter," as some of the papistical writers assert. How could the eunuch know any thing of the Gospel dispensation, to which this scripture referred? That dispensation had not yet been proclaimed to him; he knew nothing about Jesus. But where that dispensation has been published, where the four Gospels and the apostolic epistles are at hand, every thing relative to the salvation of the soul may be clearly apprehended by any simple, upright person. There are difficulties, it is true, in different parts of the sacred writings, which neither the pope nor his conclave can solve; and several which even the more enlightened Protestant cannot remove; but these difficulties do not refer to matters in which the salvation of the soul is immediately concerned: they refer to such as are common to every ancient author in the universe. These difficulties, being understood, add to the beauty, elegance, and justness of the language, thoughts, and turns of expression; and these, only the few who are capable of understanding are able to relish. As to all the rest, all that relates to faith and practice, all in which the present and eternal interest of the soul is concerned, "the wayfaring man, though a fool, (quite illiterate), shall not err therein." That he would come up, and sit with him - So earnestly desirous was he to receive instruction relative to those things which concerned the welfare of his soul.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

How can I, except some man should guide me? - This is no proof that "the Scriptures cannot be understood without an authorized interpreter," as some of the papistical writers assert. How could the eunuch know any thing of the Gospel dispensation, to which this scripture referred? That dispensation had not yet been proclaimed to him; he knew nothing about Jesus. But where that dispensation has been published, where the four Gospels and the apostolic epistles are at hand, every thing relative to the salvation of the soul may be clearly apprehended by any simple, upright person. There are difficulties, it is true, in different parts of the sacred writings, which neither the pope nor his conclave can solve; and several which even the more enlightened Protestant cannot remove; but these difficulties do not refer to matters in which the salvation of the soul is immediately concerned: they refer to such as are common to every ancient author in the universe. These difficulties, being understood, add to the beauty, elegance, and justness of the language, thoughts, and turns of expression; and these, only the few who are capable of understanding are able to relish. As to all the rest, all that relates to faith and practice, all in which the present and eternal interest of the soul is concerned, "the wayfaring man, though a fool, (quite illiterate), shall not err therein."

That he would come up, and sit with him - So earnestly desirous was he to receive instruction relative to those things which concerned the welfare of his soul.

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