In some languages the expression began to speak is regarded not only as redundant but meaninglessly repetitious. Therefore, the passage is sometimes rendered as “Philip began with this very passage of Scripture and told the Ethiopian official the Good News about Jesus.”

The expression this very passage of scripture may be rendered as “at that very place in the book of the Holy Writings.” Sometimes the term passage may be referred to as “those very words.”

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 .