The Meaning of Acts 8:29 Explained

Acts 8:29

KJV: Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

YLT: And the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go near, and be joined to this chariot;'

Darby: And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach and join this chariot.

ASV: And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  the Spirit  said  unto Philip,  Go near,  and  join thyself to  this  chariot. 

What does Acts 8:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 8:26-40 - Winning A Traveler
From the great city revival in Samaria Philip was led to the desert to minister to one seeking soul. It seems strange that God should be able to spare him from his busy and fruitful ministry in Samaria; but probably the comparative retirement was needed for soul and body after the strain of that successful campaign. How certain these Spirit-filled men were of the heavenly impulse! Every appearance suggested that this man of God was needed in the city, but the inner voice was the deciding factor, and his journey was so timed as to bring him in contact with a soul that was groping its way toward Christ.
The Bible is good as a traveling companion. Take it on your journeys. Read it as other men do their newspapers; not exclusively but boldly. There are many stories afloat of bullets being stopped by pocket Testaments; and it is certain that many a desperate thrust of the devil has been warded off by the Word of God being hidden in the heart and worn as a breastplate. Live in touch with God, and He will put you in touch with souls. This conversion of a son of Ham was a worthy fulfillment of Isaiah 56:3-8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 8

1  By occasion of the persecution in Jerusalem, the church being planted in Samaria,
4  by Philip the deacon, who preached, did miracles, and baptized many;
9  among the rest Simon the sorcerer, a great seducer of the people;
14  Peter and John come to confirm and enlarge the church;
15  where, by prayer and imposition of hands giving the Holy Spirit;
18  when Simon would have bought the like power of them,
20  Peter sharply reproving his hypocrisy and covetousness,
22  and exhorting him to repentance,
25  together with John preaching the word of the Lord, return to Jerusalem;
26  but the angel sends Philip to teach and baptize the Ethiopian Eunuch

Greek Commentary for Acts 8:29

Join thyself [κολλητητι]
See this vivid word (be glued to, first aorist passive imperative) already in Acts 5:13; Luke 10:11; Luke 15:15. Philip probably jumped on the running board on the side of the chariot. [source]
Join thyself [κολλήθητι]
See on Luke 15:15; and Luke 10:11; and Acts 5:12. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 8:29

Acts 5:13 Join himself [κολλᾶσθαι]
See on Luke 15:15; and Luke 10:11. In all but two instances (Romans 12:9; 1 Corinthians 6:17), the word implies a forced, unnatural, or unexpected union. Thus Philip would not, without a special command, have “joined himself” to the chariot of the Ethiopian prince (Acts 8:29). Saul's attempt to join himself to the apostles was regarded by them with suspicion (Acts 9:26); and the fact that certain persons “clave to” Paul in Athens is expressly contrasted with the attitude of the citizens at large. The sense of an unnatural union comes out clearly in 1 Corinthians 6:16. [source]
Acts 17:34 Clave unto him and believed [κολλητεντες αυτωι επιστευσαν]
First aorist passive of this strong word κολλαω — kollaō to glue to, common in Acts (Acts 5:13; Acts 8:29; Acts 9:26; Acts 10:28) No sermon is a failure which leads a group of men (ανδρες — andres) to believe (ingressive aorist of πιστευω — pisteuō) in Jesus Christ. Many so-called great or grand sermons reap no such harvest. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 8:29 mean?

Said then the Spirit - to Philip Go near and join yourself to the chariot this
Εἶπεν δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα τῷ Φιλίππῳ Πρόσελθε καὶ κολλήθητι τῷ ἅρματι τούτῳ

Εἶπεν  Said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Πνεῦμα  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Φιλίππῳ  to  Philip 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Φίλιππος  
Sense: an apostle of Christ.
Πρόσελθε  Go  near 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: προσέρχομαι  
Sense: to come to, approach.
κολλήθητι  join  yourself 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Passive, 2nd Person Singular
Root: κολλάω  
Sense: to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἅρματι  chariot 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ἅρμα  
Sense: a chariot.
τούτῳ  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.