The distance from Ptolemais to Caesarea was 40 miles and would have been difficult to make in a day’s time. The verb translated left is a word which simply means “to leave,” without reference to whether one travels by ship or by land. From the standpoint of translation, it is better to use a general term, rather than a term denoting some specific kind of travel.

Evangelist (see Ephesians 4.11) simply means “a preacher of the Good News,” and it is rendered in this way by the Good News Translation in 2 Timothy 4.5. A verb which comes from this same stem is used to describe Philip’s work in 8.12,35,40. The New Testament itself does not clarify the distinction between this word and the other words used of those who preached the Good News, though it seems rather certain that evangelist did not mean in the New Testament what it means in contemporary English usage. It would seem best in most instances to translate this phrase as “Philip who preached the Good News.”

Luke further characterizes him as “one of the seven,” which means one of the seven men who had been chosen in Jerusalem. Both the New English Bible and the Jerusalem Bible speak of Philip as “one of the Seven,” but to translate even with a capital S is insufficient, for though the man who reads this for himself may immediately understand what is meant, it is quite likely that the person who hears this read will miss its significance. On the other hand, to translate as Phillips has (“one of the seven deacons”), may give a false meaning, since these men are not called deacons in Chapter 6. On the whole, it seems best to render this phrase as the Good News Translation has done, which makes clear the meaning that Luke had in mind, without adding an interpretation to what he said. It is important at this point to have some type of marginal reference to 6.1-6.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .