Acts 8:26

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

8:26 Then an angel of the Lord56 said to Philip,57 “Get up and go south58 on the road that goes down from Jerusalem59 to Gaza.” (This is a desert60 road.)61

56	tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.
57	tn Grk “Lord spoke to Philip, saying.” The redundant participle λέγων (legōn) has not been translated.
58	tn Or “Get up and go about noon.” The phrase κατὰ μεσημβρίαν (kata mesēmbrian) can be translated either “about noon” (L&N 67.74) or “toward the south” (L&N 82.4). Since the angel’s command appears to call for immediate action (“Get up”) and would not therefore need a time indicator, a directional reference (“toward the south”) is more likely here.
59	map For the location of Jerusalem see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
60	tn Or “wilderness.”
61	tn The words “This is a desert road” are probably best understood as a comment by the author of Acts, but it is possible they form part of the angel’s speech to Philip, in which case the verse would read: “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza—the desert road.” sn The concluding note about the road appears to be a parenthetical note by the author.