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Free Bible lesson for kids · The Church Begins

Philip and the Ethiopian

An angel sent Philip to a desert road, where an Ethiopian officer was reading Isaiah in his chariot. Philip began at that Scripture and preached Jesus, and the man believed and was baptized.

Bible passage
Acts 8:26–40
Big idea
God sends us to people who are ready to hear.
Memory verse
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. Acts 8:35 (KJV)
Ages
Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time
About 45 minutes
Included, free
Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

The angel of the Lord sent Philip to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza (Acts 8:26). There a man from Ethiopia, in charge of the queen’s treasure, sat in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah (Acts 8:27–28). The Spirit told Philip to go near (Acts 8:29). Philip ran up and asked, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” The man said he needed someone to guide him (Acts 8:30–31).

He was reading about one who was led “as a sheep to the slaughter” (Acts 8:32). The man asked whom the prophet meant (Acts 8:34). So Philip began at that same Scripture and “preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:35). When they came to some water, the man asked to be baptized, and he said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:36–37). Philip baptized him, and the man “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:38–39).

Read it in the Bible: Acts 8:26–40 (KJV)

26And 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. 27And 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, 28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32The 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: 33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36And 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? 37And 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. 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39And 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. 40But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Questions to ask

  1. Where did the angel send Philip?

    To the way from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert.

  2. What was the Ethiopian reading?

    Esaias the prophet (Isaiah).

  3. What did the man ask when they came to water?

    “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?”

What this story teaches

  • God leads His people to those who are ready to hear (Acts 8:26, 29).
  • Isaiah wrote about Jesus, the Lamb, long before He came (Acts 8:32, 35).
  • We often need help to understand God’s Word (Acts 8:31).
  • Baptism follows believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:37–38).
  • Believing in Jesus fills our hearts with joy (Acts 8:39).

Jesus Is God’s Lamb

The Ethiopian read about a lamb led to the slaughter. That Lamb is Jesus, who takes away the sin of the world.

John 1:29

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 minWelcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to lead us to someone who needs Jesus.
10 minThe story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 minTalk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God sends us to people who are ready to hear.” What does that mean for us?
5 minMemory verse. Say Acts 8:35 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 minActivity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 minPray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.
  • Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
  • Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
  • Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors or out · about 10 minutes

Run to the Chariot

You need: A chair for each team’s “chariot”, question cards

  1. Each team lines up across from its chariot.
  2. One at a time, kids run to the chariot, draw a card and answer the question with the leader there.
  3. Run back and tag the next runner.

Philip ran to the chariot and asked, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” Then he told the man about Jesus.

For youth group · game · indoors · about 15 minutes

Explain It Simply

You need: Verse cards (John 3:16, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8–9), a timer

  1. A teen draws a verse card and has thirty seconds to explain it as if to a six-year-old.
  2. Judges score for being clear, true and kind.
  3. Talk: why is it worth practicing this?

Philip “began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” Start where people are.

Pray

Ask God to lead us to someone who needs Jesus.

Questions people ask

Where did the angel send Philip?

To the way from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert.

What was the Ethiopian reading?

Esaias the prophet (Isaiah).

What did the man ask when they came to water?

“See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?”