The Seven Deacons: Philip

Philip was the second mentioned of the seven deacons. After Stephen, he is the best known.

Philip

The name Philip is Greek and means friend of horses.

Philip is listed several times in the book of Acts.  He is first mentioned as being chosen as one of the seven deacons.   The deacons were chosen to attend to the poor of the church in Jerusalem.

After Stephen’s martyrdom he went to the city of Samaria. He is said to preach with much success and possibly even perform miracles. Simon Magus was a sorcer who is said to have a confrontation with Peter and became one of Philip’s converts.

Philip is told by an angel of the Lord to go to the road between Jerusalem and Gaza. There he is instructed to  baptize the Ethiopian eunuch.

Philip is then caught away by the Spirit and found at Azotus  and then “pass[ed] through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea”.  {Acts 8}

He is later described as Philip the Evangelist {Acts 21:8-9; Ephesians 4:11; 2 Timothy 4:5}

He entertained Paul the Apostle and his companion on their way to Jerusalem; at that time “he had four daughters which did Prophecy”.

Tradition states he settled in Tralles in Anatolia {Ancient Greek city in modern day Turkey} and became bishop of that church.

From an early period in church history, he has been confused with Philip the Apostle.

He is counted among the Seventy Apostles.

His feast day is October 11.

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