What Does Acts 8:40 Mean in the King James?
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verb translated “preached” names the carrying of good news, so the message travels city by city with Philip.
THE MEANING
Philip’s route carries the good news through the cities, and the verse meets you now in the places you inhabit: no single location owns the announcement. Its movement is part of its meaning; the message reaches people along the way, not only at a destination.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that the good news belongs only in one sacred place: here the announcement moves through ordinary cities as Philip travels.
THE ROOT
εὐηγγελίζετο
euēngelizeto
GROWS FROM
ἀγγελ-
angel-
Messenger; one who carries a message.
The Greek verb belongs to the εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion, good news) word family, formed from εὖ (eu, good) and ἄγγελος (angelos, messenger). “Preached” therefore carries the sense of announcing good news; in this verse, the announcement travels through city after city with its messenger.
ALSO GROWS
angelos: Messenger
ἄγγελος
The messenger bears the announcement; the verb names the act of carrying it through these cities.
euangelion: Good news
εὐαγγέλιον
This names the message carried by the verb: Philip’s movement gives the announcement a route through the cities.
THE PATTERN
Good news travels by being carried into place after place; its movement is part of its message.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.THE THREAD
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!Romans uses the same Greek verb family for those who announce good news. Its image of beautiful feet shows that movement is part of the announcement: the message is carried from place to place.
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