What Does Acts 8:38 Mean in the King James?

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.

Acts 8:38 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The chariot stops, but the passage continues: both men descend into the water, and the Greek says the eunuch is immersed.

THE MEANING

A pause in forward movement can open into a passage: the chariot halts, and both men go down into the water. The eunuch is immersed with Philip there beside him; the verse keeps the encounter bodily and shared in place.

THE ROOT

ἐβάπτισεν

ebaptisen

GROWS FROM

βαπτ-

The Greek stem carries the sense of dipping or immersing; ⁨βαπτίζω⁩ (baptízō) means to immerse.

“baptized” in this verse is ebaptisen. The Greek verb holds the sense of immersion within the act called “baptizing.” Both men descend into the water, making that sense visible in the scene as Philip immerses the eunuch.

ALSO GROWS

báptō: dip, immerse

βάπτω

This related verb makes the dipping sense audible beneath the act of baptism.

báptisma: immersion, baptism

βάπτισμα

This noun names the immersion that the verse describes happening in the water.

baptismós: immersion, washing

βαπτισμός

This related noun shows the word family also describing an immersion as a washing.

THE PATTERN

Water becomes a threshold of passage: people enter it or pass through it rather than remain at its edge.

And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

John 3:23 · KJVThe verse places baptism where there is much water and describes people coming to be immersed.

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

1 Corinthians 10:2 · KJVThe sea crossing is described through the same baptism word family, joining passage through water with a new relation to Moses.

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Exodus 14:22 · KJVThe people pass into the sea and through it, making water the setting of a collective crossing.

THE THREAD

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4 · KJV

Acts shows the physical immersion: both men go down into the water, and Philip immerses the eunuch. Romans uses the same Greek baptism word to open the image further, connecting immersion with burial and a rising into newness of life.

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