Philip is one of the seven (see 6.5).

Translations are divided as to whether Luke said the city of Samaria or “a city of Samaria” (New English Bible, Revised Standard Version). In New Testament times the Old Testament city of Samaria was known as Sebaste, and the word Samaria referred to the province; so by the expression the city of Samaria is meant the (main) city of Samaria, that is, Sebaste. The Samaritans, as the Jews, lived in the expectation of a coming Messiah; among the Samaritans he was known as Taheb, “one who restores.”

In this context the Good News Translation employs Messiah rather than “Christ,” since the former term applies specifically to Christ’s having been sent by God on a special mission. To introduce this distinction in some languages it is necessary to render Messiah as “the one specially sent by God.”

Though in English one may say preached the Messiah, this is rendered in many languages as “told the people about the Messiah.”

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 .