Philip the Evangelist

Philip the Evangelist was one of the seven men chosen by the Jerusalem church to oversee the distribution of food to widows, thus freeing the apostles for prayer and ministry (Acts 6:1–5). He is distinguished from Philip the apostle. When Stephen's martyrdom triggered persecution, Philip fled to Samaria and preached Christ there with great signs and miracles — the first major evangelism outside Jerusalem (Acts 8:4–8). His work anticipated the Pentecost of the Samaritans when Peter and John came to pray for the converts.

An angel then directed Philip to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza, where he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, an official of Queen Candace, reading Isaiah 53. Philip explained the passage as fulfilled in Jesus, baptized the eunuch, and was then caught up by the Spirit to Azotus (Acts 8:26–40). He continued preaching through the coastal cities to Caesarea, where he settled. Paul later visited his house in Caesarea; Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8–9).