And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Understandest thou what thou readest?"

And he said, "How can I, except some one shall guide me?" And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the place of the scripture which he was reading was this,--

"He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb,
So he openeth not his mouth."

[{349}]

And the officer said to Philip, "I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other?"

And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this passage of scripture, preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the officer saith, "Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the officer, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the officer saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

[{350}]

VII
PETER AND DORCAS
How Peter Restored a Good Woman to Life.