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The Ethiopian Eunuch
November 30, 2024

We just finished a study on the kings of Israel and Judah and saw that with both divided kingdoms, the people were taken into captivity, first with Israel and then with Judah. That captivity would bring elements of what today is seen as the Jewish faith to different nearby parts of the world, and today we are going to consider the Ethiopian eunuch who came to Jerusalem to worship. We might expect an Ethiopian eunuch who held a place of prominence in service to the royal family of Ethiopia to come on official business, but the Ethiopian eunuch that we can read about in the Bible came to Jerusalem to worship at Jerusalem, meaning this eunuch was a descendent of one of the scattered tribes.

We get introduced to the Ethiopian eunuch in the Book of Acts where Philip is told to travel south from Jerusalem through Gaza. Unlike today where Gaza is highly populated, back then Gaza was mostly uninhabited. While traveling south Philip came across an Ethiopian eunuch sitting in his chariot reading from the Book of Isaiah. Why the eunuch was stopped in his chariot along the road reading we do not know. He might have been resting his horse or maybe he had an urge to read at that moment in time, and instead of reading and driving, he pulled over to read.

This particular eunuch from Ethiopia was a power broker within the royal family of Ethiopia serving the queen, controlling her wealth. He had recently been in Jerusalem to worship and was returning to Ethiopia. Because he had been to Jerusalem to worship shows he had a prior connection to the temple worship of Jerusalem. He likely was a descendent of the scattered tribes whose family ended up in Ethiopia. As a eunuch under Old Testament rules, he would have been excluded from worship because he had been made a eunuch. We don’t know why he was allowed to worship at the temple, but if he was the eunuch in charge of the wealth of the Queen of Ethiopia, the scribes and Pharisees who Jesus described as hypocrites, would have probably looked the other way because there was so much potential money on the line.

When Philip found him reading from the Book of Isaiah he asked if he understood what he was reading, and the eunuch replied that nobody could understand unless they were guided by somebody who already knew, and he asked if Philip could help him understand what he was reading. The passage from Isaiah the eunuch was reading was about Jesus Christ, how He would be led like a sheep to the slaughter. The eunuch didn’t understand who this passage was describing, and Philip used the occasion to tell him about Jesus Christ. Eventually, they started travelling again as Philip and the eunuch were discussing the passage. Philip taught him of baptism because when they came to an area next to water, the eunuch asked to be baptized, and confirming that the eunuch believed that Jesus Christ is the son of God, Philip baptized the eunuch and soon after that, Philip was taken by the Holy Spirit to Azotus, and the eunuch went happily on his way.

Acts 8:26-40
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. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 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. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

The eunuch who was reading from Isaiah may not have known that it was Isaiah who warned Hezekiah, one of the last Kings of Judah, that his descendants would become eunuchs in captivity. By becoming eunuchs in service to the King of Babylon, the king would have had people who understood elements of the palace lifestyle, and by forcing the sons of the King of Judah to become eunuchs, the King of Babylon was also guaranteeing no future heirs to the throne of Judah.

2 Kings 20:16-19
And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord. Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

Eunuchs were not a strange concept to the people of Israel and Judah. The royal family of Israel definitely had eunuchs in service to them. When Jehu was overthrowing King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel, he received the assistance of palace eunuchs to bring Jezebel to her death. The eunuchs probably understood that Jehu would prevail and that if they didn’t help him, they would receive the same fate as Jezebel, so they tossed Jezebel out of an upper floor window giving Jehu the opportunity to trample her to death with his horse.

2 Kings 9:30-33
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

We know that it is plausible that a descendant of the scattered tribes could end up as a eunuch serving the royal family of Ethiopia because as the Kingdom of Judah was coming to an end, the King of Babylon exerted great influence over the entire region including parts of Africa. That influence could have caused some from the scattered tribe to end up in Ethiopia.

2 Kings 24:6-7
So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.

The Ethiopian eunuch may or may not have known about another passage from Isaiah, where God reveals that even foreigners and eunuchs could have access to salvation if they do what pleases God, keeping what He commands. In Isaiah God showed He would not only gather the outcasts of Israel, but he would gather others as well.

Isaiah 56:1-8
Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, everyone that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

When the people of Judah were taken into captivity, some of the better looking and intelligent commoners and members of the royal family were brought to Babylon by Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs, and this included Daniel and his three friends. The king wanted these people to be able to learn the language of the Chaldeans. Because the master of the eunuchs was tasked with this responsibility, it’s possible that Daniel and his three friends were castrated to become a eunuch, though the Bible does not clearly show that.

Daniel 1:1-7
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed–nego.

The passage that the Ethiopian eunuch was reading from is what we today know as the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. This chapter describes Jesus Christ and His sacrifice to pay for our sins. When Philip encountered the eunuch, the eunuch didn’t know it was talking about Jesus Christ and thought maybe Isaiah was talking about himself or another contemporary. What does that fifty-third chapter of Isaiah show? It shows that Jesus was born a person with an average plain appearance. In the time in which he was born, He would have blended in with everyone else. He would have looked like the average person from the area of Galilee and Jerusalem during the time, giving Him a much more Mediterranean and Middle East look than the paintings done by European artists. Jesus was described to be a person rejected by those of his time. We know he was accepted by His disciples and close followers, but He was so roundly rejected that death was His punishment. The passage describes how Jesus would pay the price for our sins and how He would face His own death, even though He would have done nothing worthy of death. The passage then describes how God wanted all of this to happen so that many could be justified as the sins of many would be forgiven. For a eunuch who had just worshipped at the temple in Jerusalem, in the very building that was the power center of those who sought to have Jesus put to death, it should come as no surprise that the Ethiopian eunuch couldn’t understand what he was reading.

Isaiah 53:1-12
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

The passage that the eunuch was reading would have been difficult for any scribe or pharisee to explain because they did not value Jesus Christ. They despised Him and sought to have Him put to death. To people like the Ethiopian eunuch and to so many others, the gift of eternal life and reconciliation with God was precious, and to all who today see Jesus Christ as precious, Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith.

1 Peter 2:4-8
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Jesus taught that his followers would be hated. When we experience ridicule and disdain for our beliefs, we need to remember the precious gift we have been given, and like the Ethiopian eunuch who after baptism continued on his way rejoicing, we must also rejoice.

Luke 6:20-23
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Jesus explained His rejection by society to the disciples who when they were with Jesus would have like the Ethiopian eunuch had access to the passage from Isaiah, and like the eunuch, unless somebody explained it to them, didn’t understand what they were reading. That understanding would come to them through the teachings of Jesus, their experiences with Jesus, and be completed through the gift of the Holy Spirit. He would explain to His disciples that He would be rejected by society and suffer greatly. He added that those who sought to preserve their life would lose it and those who would lose their life would preserve it showing a future great dividing of faith.

Luke 17:24-37
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Jesus was even rejected for who his parents were. People saw him as the uneducated son of a tradesman. Jesus would not have been expected to know more than what we call common sense. He would not have been offered an education like we know today, and yet we know Jesus confounded people with his knowledge, including those who knew his parents were just common people and thought of Jesus as nothing more than common.

Mark 6:1-5
And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

The Ethiopian Eunuch needed someone to explain scriptures to him and that supports what Paul wrote in Romans. He explained that faith comes by hearing, and that hearing comes by the word of God when it is shared by another person. For the eunuch, that person explaining and sharing the message about Jesus Christ was Philip.

Romans 10:14-17
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

What Philip explained to him regarding the passage from Isaiah is written about many times over in the New Testament as forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ is frequently mentioned.

Ephesians 2:1-10
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved; And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Peter also wrote of the salvation of our souls as the end of our faith. When we are given a spirit body and no longer living within our human body is when we will achieve the purpose of our faith. We believe in the hope of eternal life to come at the resurrection and return of Jesus Christ, and this hope most likely contributed to the joy the eunuch felt continuing his journey back to Ethiopia.

1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

The happiness and joy felt by the eunuch was an initial manifestation of faith, that there is something for us beyond the hardships of life that we have today, and that joy coupled with faith will lead us to diligently seek God, and God’s righteousness.

Hebrews 11:1-6
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The faith that we have will not give us a life without difficulties. We will face the challenges of life as any person will and may even suffer more because of the faith that we have. It is easy to have faith in good times, but enduring to the end requires us to have faith in bad times, never surrendering the faith that we have, or the joy it initially brought us. As a retired public educator, I remember being advised as a first-year teacher to never allow a student to take the smile off my face. Similarly, we cannot allow the circumstances of life and even persecutions of faith to take the joy out of the faith we have. We can never draw back and must continue in our journey of faith.

Hebrews 10:32-39
But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

When difficult times come, and they will, we cannot allow ourselves to doublethink our faith. When we lose confidence in our faith, we lose, and we lose because we have been conned by a conman. A conman is a confidence man, somebody who causes us to trade the confidence we already have for the confidence they want us to have. We can never surrender what we have been given by having doubt.

James 1:2-8
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

The faith that we have will cause us to live our life in accordance with faith. If we say we have faith but live our lives in such a manner where what we do is in opposition to faith, we are lying to ourselves and others with whom we share our faith. After that brief encounter in Acts we read nothing else about the Ethiopian eunuch but based on the joy of the eunuch and the history of Christianity in Ethiopia, we can surmise he brought his faith back to Ethiopia and a few centuries later, the region of Ethiopia became one of the first in the world to adopt Christianity. James writes about faith with works, and what James is showing is how we must live our lives aligned to the faith that we have.

James 2:14-26
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

As we live our life of faith, we will find ways to endure to the end, and being content in what we have is one way to do that. We come to the point where we know we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us, and we use that as an anchor when the going gets rough.

Philippians 4:10-13
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

That joy that was experienced by the Ethiopian eunuch and that we have through our faith does not mean our life will be without hardship. Rather it helps us to pivot the reality from focusing on the bad times we experience today to the hope of eternal life and glory we will experience in the future. Today there are so many who live lives of tragedy and despair, and they suffer without hope because they don’t have faith of something better to come. We have faith of something better to come, and we know that if God is for us nobody can be against us, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is through Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:18-39
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Ethiopian eunuch is one of many people briefly mentioned in the Bible, and yet the joy he felt after being baptized and understanding the saving grace of Jesus Christ is a joy we understand and feel today. He was trying to understand a passage from Isaiah and when Philip came his way and explained that passage the understanding changed his life. Today there are many people who are like the Ethiopian eunuch who read the scriptures and do not understand, and for those of us of the faith we can help these people understand so that they may have joy in their life as well.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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