Acts 8 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The persecution and the scattering 8:1–4

vv. 1–3 — Saul's approval, Stephen's burial, the ravaging

But Saul was consenting to his execution.independent — periphrastic imperfect — sustained approval; the thread resumed from 7:58, ominous before ch. 9

And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem,independent — Semitic ἐγένετο-frame — the persecution dated to Stephen's death; the first διωγμός named against 'the church'

and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,independent — divine passive διεσπάρησαν — the diaspora-sowing verb; Acts 1:8's map (Judea and Samaria) supplied by persecution

except the apostles.phrase modifier — the exceptive πλήν — the Twelve remain in the epicenter

And devout men buried Stephenindependent — συγκομίζω — a burial hapax; εὐλαβεῖς, pious (diaspora?) Jews honoring the martyr against the tide

and made great lamentation over him.independent — κοπετός — breast-beating grief, the LXX mourning idiom (Gen 50:10; Zech 12:10)

But Saul was ravaging the church,independent — ἐλυμαίνετο — the wild-beast verb (Ps 80:13 LXX); iterative imperfect: a sustained campaign

entering house after house,participial — distributive κατὰ τοὺς οἴκους — the house-assemblies invaded one by one

and dragging off both men and women,participial — preposed σύρων — the violence loaded before the verb strikes; leans on παρεδίδου

he was committing them to prison.independent — παρεδίδου — the handing-over verb of Judas and of Jesus, now Saul's routine

v. 4 — the hinge: the scattered become the sown

Now those who were scattered went about,independent — μὲν οὖν seam — διασπαρέντες picks up v. 1: persecution achieves the opposite of its intent

preaching the word.participial — the route becomes the pulpit — the chapter's thesis in one participle

Philip in Samaria and Simon Magus 8:5–13

vv. 5–8 — Philip down to Samaria: the Christ, the signs, the joy

And Philip, going down to the city of Samaria,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐκήρυσσεν; one of the Seven (6:5) crosses the Jewish–Samaritan rift

was proclaiming to them the Christ.independent — iterative imperfect — τὸν Χριστόν: an explicitly messianic claim to a people with its own messianic hope

And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip,independent — ὁμοθυμαδόν — Luke's unanimity word; προσεῖχον, the verb that will ring three times (vv. 6, 10, 11)

as they heard and saw the signsphrase modifier — ἐν τῷ + infinitive, temporal — word and sign received together

that he was doing.relative — iterative imperfect — the miracles keep coming

For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who had them,cause — the γάρ unpacking the σημεῖα — exorcisms first; the construction strains (πολλοί nominative, the spirits exiting)

and many paralyzed and lame were healed.cause — coordinate ground — Isa 35:6 in miniature; the second column of works

And there was much joy in that city.independent — χαρά — the Lukan fruit of the gospel's arrival, answered by the eunuch's χαίρων (v. 39)

vv. 9–13 — Simon Magus: the astounder astounded

But a certain man named Simon was previously in the city,independent — προϋπῆρχεν — the incumbent wonder-worker, established long before Philip arrives

practicing magic and astounding the nation of Samaria,participial — μαγεύω — only here in the NT, giving Simon his surname; ἐξιστάνων, the verb that will boomerang at v. 13

claiming to be someone great,participial — indirect statement — self-proclaimed μέγας, seeding the title of v. 10

to whom they all paid attention, from least to greatest,relative — the merism of total allegiance — προσεῖχον again, the same verb as Philip's crowds (v. 6)

saying:participial — the manner of their attention — acclamation

'This man is the power of God that is called Great.'content — the 'Great Power' acclamation — a quasi-divine title Luke reports (καλουμένη) without endorsing (cf. Justin, 1 Apol. 26)

And they kept paying attention to himindependent — the third προσεῖχον — the ring around Simon's hold on Samaria closes

because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic arts.cause — διὰ τό + perfect infinitive — the entrenched spell, about to be broken

But when they believed Philipconditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the decisive break; leans on ἐβαπτίζοντο

as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ,participial — the chapter's fullest gospel summary — kingdom and name together

they were baptized, both men and women.independent — iterative imperfect — ἄνδρες τε καὶ γυναῖκες, the very pairing Saul dragged to prison (v. 3)

And Simon himself also believed,independent — ascensive καί + intensive αὐτός — the arch-sorcerer swept in; sincerity left unqualified until vv. 18–24

and after being baptizedparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on the periphrastic ἦν προσκαρτερῶν

he was staying close to Philip,independent — προσκαρτερέω — the devotion-verb of Acts 2:42, here with a spectator's motive

and beholding signs and great miracles being performed,participial — θεωρῶν — the spectator's gaze; preposed, leaning on ἐξίστατο; δυνάμεις μεγάλας echoes his own title

he was amazed.independent — ἐξίστατο — the astounder of vv. 9, 11 now himself astounded; the reversal complete

Peter and John: the Spirit given, simony rebuked 8:14–25

vv. 14–17 — the Jerusalem delegation: prayer, hands, the Spirit

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heardparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἀπέστειλαν

that Samaria had received the word of God,content — perfect δέδεκται — a standing fact requiring apostolic response

they sent Peter and John to them,independent — the temple pair (3:1–4:22) — the highest sanction for the Samaritan mission

who went down and prayed for themrelative — qualitative οἵτινες — prayer before hands: the Spirit is God's to give, not a technique

that they might receive the Holy Spirit;purpose — ὅπως + subjunctive — the prayer's single object

for he had not yet fallen upon any of them;cause — the famous baptism–Spirit gap — Luke records the sequence without explaining it

they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.cause — μόνον — baptism complete, the falling still pending; the crux of Acts pneumatology

Then they were laying their hands on them,independent — iterative imperfect — person by person

and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.independent — the matching imperfect — the λάβωσιν of v. 15 realized, visibly enough for v. 18

vv. 18–24 — the money offer and the curse: simony named

But Simon, seeingparticipial — ἰδών — the spectator's decisive look; preposed, leans on προσήνεγκεν

that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands,content — he isolates the mechanism — instrumentality (διά) misread as ownership

he offered them money,independent — χρήματα — the act that gives 'simony' its name

saying:participial — the speech-frame for the fatal request

'Give me too this authority,content — δότε — grace ordered like a commodity; ἐξουσία, a transferable license, not mere δύναμις

so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.'purpose — ᾧ ἐάν — whomever I choose: the apostolic rite absorbed without its theology

But Peter said to him:independent — the speech-frame for the sharpest rebuke in Acts

'May your silver go with you to destruction,content — imprecatory optative εἴη — σὺν σοί: money and man consigned together (the Achan pattern, Josh 7)

because you thought to acquire the gift of God with money!cause — the ground — δωρεά vs. χρήματα: what is by definition free, priced for purchase

You have no part or share in this matter,content — asyndeton — μερὶς … κλῆρος, the Levitical portion-and-lot pair (Deut 12:12): total exclusion

for your heart is not straight before God.cause — καρδία — the diagnostic organ of Acts (1:24; 5:3); εὐθεῖα: crooked, not straight

Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours,content — the singular μετανόησον — the apostolic summons turned on a baptized man

and pray to the Lord,content — the second imperative — Simon must himself beseech

if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you;conditional — εἰ ἄρα, backward on δεήθητι (anchored) — forgiveness sought, not guaranteed; ἐπίνοια a NT hapax: the deliberate scheme

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.'cause — Deut 29:18 + Isa 58:6 LXX — the γάρ grounding both imperatives; Peter's prophetic ὁρῶ

And Simon, answering,participial — the Semitic reply-formula — leans on εἶπεν

said:independent — Simon's last word in Acts

'You pray for me to the Lord,content — the singular δεήθητι deflected into a plural δεήθητε — intercessors sought instead of repentance

that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.'purpose — escape from consequences, not from the ἐπίνοια — Luke closes the episode without verdict

v. 25 — the return: Samaritan villages evangelized

So they, having solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord,participial — μὲν οὖν seam — the mission summarized; preposed, leans on ὑπέστρεφον

were returning to Jerusalem,independent — progressive imperfect — the preaching happens en route

and they preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.independent — city widened to countryside — Acts 1:8's Samaria complete

Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch 8:26–40

vv. 26–29 — the road command: angel, chariot, Spirit

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying:independent — anarthrous ἄγγελος κυρίου — the LXX divine-messenger formula (Gen 16:7; Exod 3:2)

'Risecontent — the commissioning imperative of Acts (9:11; 10:20)

and go south along the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.'content — μεσημβρίαν — 'south' (or 'noon,' the noted alternative); the descending road geographically exact

This is a desert road.independent — read as Luke's parenthesis (possibly still the angel's words) — the desolation makes the lone encounter providential

And rising,participial — ἀναστάς answers Ἀνάστηθι — obedience verbatim; leans on ἐπορεύθη

he went.independent — one-word compliance — πορεύου obeyed

And behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a court official of Candace queen of the Ethiopians,independent — verbless ἰδού-presentation — four descriptors: ethnic, bodily, political, royal; Meroe at the earth's edge (1:8); Κανδάκη a dynastic title, not a name

who was over all her treasury,relative — the γάζης/Γάζαν pun (v. 26) — the treasurer met on the Gaza road; Deut 23:1's excluded man, Isa 56:3–5's welcomed one

who had come to Jerusalem to worship,relative — pluperfect + future participle of purpose (προσκυνήσων) — a God-fearing pilgrim (Ps 68:31)

and he was returning and sitting in his chariot,independent — periphrastic imperfects — the scene held open for the encounter

and was reading the prophet Isaiah.independent — ἀνεγίνωσκεν — reading aloud, as v. 30 confirms; the scroll named before the passage

And the Spirit said to Philip:independent — the guidance escalates — angel (v. 26), now the Spirit himself (cf. 10:19; 13:2)

'Go overcontent — the approach commanded

and join yourself to this chariot.'content — κολλήθητι — the glue-verb of close fellowship (5:13; 10:28)

vv. 30–35 — the scroll opened: Isaiah 53 and the good news of Jesus

And Philip, running up,participial — προσδραμών — the evangelist runs; leans on ἤκουσεν

heard him reading Isaiah the prophetindependent — ἀκούω + genitive participle — ancient reading was vocal; the scroll audible on the road

and said:independent — the opening question

'Do you really understandcontent — ἆρά γε — a genuine, probing question, expecting no assured answer

what you are reading?'relative — the γινώσκεις / ἀναγινώσκεις paronomasia — reading vs. knowing

And he said:independent — the teachable reply — the opposite of Simon's self-sufficiency

'How indeed could I,content — πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην — potential optative, rare in the NT: polite impossibility

unless someone will guide me?'conditional — backward protasis (anchored) — ἐὰν μή with future ὁδηγήσει; the ὁδηγός sought on the ὁδός

And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.independent — the seeker takes the initiative — the chariot becomes a classroom

Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this:independent — περιοχή — a NT hapax: the citation frame for Isa 53:7–8 LXX, quoted in full before Philip interprets

'Like a sheep he was led to slaughter,content — Isa 53:7 — the divine passive ἤχθη: someone leads the Servant

and like a lamb silent before its shearer,content — verbless simile — ἄφωνος: the Servant reduced to voicelessness

so he does not open his mouth.content — the refrain Philip will answer at v. 35 — ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα

In his humiliation his judgment was taken away;content — Isa 53:8 — ἡ κρίσις ἤρθη left double: justice denied him, or his condemnation lifted

who will recount his generation?content — the unanswerable τίς — posterity cut off, or (christologically) an origin beyond telling

For his life is taken up from the earth.'cause — αἴρεται echoing ἤρθη — cut off from the land of the living (Isa 53:8 MT)

And the eunuch, in answer to Philip,participial — the reply-formula — leans on εἶπεν

said:independent — the pivot question of the episode

'I beg you,content — δέομαί σου — earnest petition; contrast Simon's deflected δεήθητε (v. 24)

about whom does the prophet say this?content — THE referential question of Isa 53 — still the exegetical crux

About himself, or about someone else?'phrase modifier — the alternatives framed verbless — ἑτέρου: someone qualitatively other

Then Philip, opening his mouthparticipial — the pointed reversal of v. 32 — the herald opens his mouth where the Servant kept his shut; leans on εὐηγγελίσατο

and beginning from this Scripture,participial — ἀρξάμενος ἀπό — the Emmaus hermeneutic (Luke 24:27)

preached to him the good news of Jesus.independent — τὸν Ἰησοῦν — the Servant named; the chapter's verb εὐαγγελίζω at its climax

vv. 36–40 — water, baptism, the snatching [no v. 37]

And as they were going along the road,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans on ἦλθον

they came to some water,independent — τι ὕδωρ — water on a desert road: providence in the geography

and the eunuch says:independent — historic present φησιν — the exclamation made vivid

'Look — water!content — verbless exclamation — the moment seized

What prevents me from being baptized?'content — κωλύει — Luke's inclusion litmus (10:47; 11:17); the excluded eunuch asks the door-question

And he commanded the chariot to stop,independent — NO v. 37 — the eunuch's confession ('I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God') is a Western/Byzantine baptismal insertion, absent from P45 P74 ℵ A B: the numbering jumps 36 → 38

and both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch,independent — κατέβησαν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ — the descent that suggests immersion; the evangelist named first, leading

and he baptized him.independent — three crisp aorists — the question of v. 36 answered by act: nothing prevents

And when they came up out of the water,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans on ἥρπασεν

the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away,independent — ἥρπασεν — the Elijah-translation verb (1 Kgs 18:12; 2 Kgs 2:16 LXX); the Spirit closes the scene it opened

and the eunuch saw him no more;independent — the herald vanishes as suddenly as he appeared

for he went on his way rejoicing.cause — χαίρων — Samaria's joy (v. 8) now rides toward Meroe; the gospel self-sufficient without its herald

But Philip was found at Azotus,independent — εὑρέθη — the passive of divine deposit; Azotus = Philistine Ashdod

and passing through,participial — διερχόμενος — the scattered-preaching verb of v. 4 resumed; leans on εὐηγγελίζετο

he kept proclaiming the good news to all the townsindependent — iterative imperfect — city by city up the coast

until he came to Caesarea.phrase modifier — ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν — the terminus; Philip's home at 21:8, the stage set for Cornelius (ch. 10)

Analysis. Acts 8 is the hinge of the book — the 1:8 programme (Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth) set in motion by persecution — and the layout shows it as three narrative panels on a flush-left mainline. The first panel (vv. 1–4) is grim and staccato: Saul consenting, the persecution arising, all scattered — until the μὲν οὖν hinge of v. 4 turns the scattering into sowing (διασπαρέντες picking up διεσπάρησαν) and the participle εὐαγγελιζόμενοι hangs the chapter's thesis under one verb of travel. The Samaria panel runs on imperfects (ἐκήρυσσεν, προσεῖχον, ἐβαπτίζοντο, the matched ἐπετίθεσαν/ἐλάμβανον of v. 17), and the ring of προσεῖχον (vv. 6, 10, 11) binds Philip's crowds to Simon's old audience while ἐξίστημι boomerangs — the astounder of vv. 9, 11 is himself astounded at v. 13. Peter's rebuke hangs blue beneath a single εἶπεν: the imprecatory optative (εἴη εἰς ἀπώλειαν) with its ὅτι-ground, the asyndetic exclusion grounded in the crooked heart, two imperatives with the εἰ-ἄρα uncertainty leaning on δεήθητι, and the gall-of-bitterness γάρ — answered by Simon's deflection of the singular δεήθητι into a plural δεήθητε. The eunuch panel is guided narrative: angel, then Spirit; the Isa 53:7–8 LXX citation hangs in full beneath the ἡ-περιοχή/ἀνεγίνωσκεν frame; the eunuch's πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην is the chapter's one potential optative (tagged), its backward ἐὰν-μή protasis anchored beneath it; and Philip 'opens his mouth' (v. 35) precisely where the Servant did not open his (v. 32). Cruxes the layout takes a side on or leaves open: μεσημβρίαν rendered 'south' (against 'noon'); αὕτη ἐστὶν ἔρημος read as Luke's parenthesis; ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη left double (justice denied, or condemnation lifted); the baptism–Spirit gap of v. 16 recorded, not resolved; and v. 37 — the eunuch's confession, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God' — is ABSENT from the critical text (a Western/Byzantine baptismal insertion, missing from P45 P74 ℵ A B), flagged where the numbering jumps from 36 to 38.