Philip and the Ethiopian: Sunday School Lesson for Ages 6-10
Ages 6-10 · 45 minutes · free lesson plan · Acts 8:26-39
Children discover how God sent Philip to help an Ethiopian official understand Scripture and meet Jesus, then practice guiding others through a game, a scroll craft, and prayer.
Memory verse
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. (Acts 8:35, KJV)
Lesson objectives
- Retell how God sent Philip to meet the man from Ethiopia on the road.
- Explain that the Bible points to Jesus and that we can share Him with others.
- Name one person they can tell about Jesus this week.
The full lesson plan
Can You Read This? (5 min)
Setup: Write a short message in made-up symbols on a big page.
Say: "Welcome! Look at this message. Raise your hand if you can read it."
Let children guess. Then read it aloud: "God loves you!"
Say: "It's hard to understand something when no one helps you."
Say: "Today we meet a man who was reading something he did not understand. God sent a helper!"
Quick warm-up: stand and do the actions together. Walk in place (road), hold pretend reins (chariot), open hands like a book (scroll).
Say: "Now let's hear what happened on a desert road."
The Road to Gaza (8 min)
Read or tell Acts 8:26-39 in order. Children do the actions from the warm-up.
Say: "An angel of the Lord told Philip to go south, on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, which was desert."
Say: "Philip got up and went. There was a man from Ethiopia, an important official who took care of the queen's treasure."
Say: "He had been to Jerusalem to worship. Now he was riding home in his chariot, reading from the prophet Isaiah."
Say: "The Spirit told Philip, 'Go near and join yourself to that chariot.' Philip ran up and heard him reading."
Say: "Philip asked, 'Understandest thou what thou readest?' The man said, 'How can I, except some man should guide me?' He invited Philip to sit with him."
Say: "Philip began with that very passage and told him the good news about Jesus."
Say: "They came to some water. The man asked to be baptized. He said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' Philip baptized him."
Say: "Then the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, and the man went on his way rejoicing."
Background: Scrolls were handwritten, and few people owned one.
God Sends, We Guide (7 min)
Say: "Who sent Philip? God did. Philip listened and went."
Say: "The man was reading, so he wanted to know God. But he needed someone to explain it."
Ask: "What did Philip do first?" (He asked a question and listened.)
Say: "Then he started where the man was reading and told him about Jesus."
Say: "The whole Bible points to Jesus. Jesus is God's Son, and He came to save us."
Say: "The man believed, was baptized, and went home full of joy."
Three big ideas (children repeat each one with a motion):
1. God sends. (Point up.)
2. We listen and guide. (Hand to ear, then beckon.)
3. Jesus is the good news. (Hands over heart.)
Say: "You don't have to know everything. You can ask a kind question, share a Bible verse, and tell what you know about Jesus."
Say: "Now let's play a game about being a guide."
Philip Helps Us Understand (7 min)
Setup: Write the memory verse one word per strip. Mix each set in an envelope (two sets, one per team).
Steps (about 7 min):
1. Make two teams. Give each team an envelope. They spill out the strips and try to put them in order without help (1 min).
2. They will probably struggle. Say: "Like the man in the chariot, you may need a guide!"
3. Each team can ask, "Can you guide us?" Then you, as Philip, give one hint at a time ("Start with 'Then'"). Use your Bible to check.
4. When the verse is done, teams read it aloud together twice.
5. Swap roles. A child from each team is "Philip" and gives hints while the team mixes the strips again and rebuilds the verse.
Say: "Great guides help others understand, and the best news we can share is Jesus."
Safety: Walking only. Keep everyone seated or at tables.
Talk It Over (6 min)
Ask in a circle or pairs, and give short sample answers if needed:
1. Why did Philip go when God told him? (He trusted God and obeyed.)
2. How did Philip start talking with the man? (He asked a question and listened.)
3. What good news did Philip share? (Jesus.)
4. How do you think the man felt at the end? (Happy. The Bible says he went on his way rejoicing.)
5. Who could you help understand something about Jesus? (A friend, a sibling, a neighbor.)
Say: "We can be like Philip. We can ask a kind question, listen, and share Jesus."
Say: "Now let's make something to help us remember."
Good News Scroll (8 min)
Setup: Cut paper strips (about 4 x 11 in). Put out crayons, tape, and two craft sticks or pencils per child.
Steps (about 8 min):
1. Write "Acts 8:35" at the top of the strip. Teacher writes the verse on the board; children copy it, or trace a pre-written copy.
2. Draw a road, a chariot, or water under the words.
3. Tape a stick to each short end of the strip.
4. Roll both sides to the middle to make a scroll.
5. Write on the back one name of someone to tell about Jesus.
Say: "Take it home and share it."
Safety: Adults handle scissors. Children use only crayons and tape. Collect small sticks or pencils at the end.
Go and Tell (4 min)
Say the memory verse together twice, with motions: open mouth (hand by mouth), open book (hands), point up (Jesus).
Say: "Let's pray together."
Prayer points (children repeat each line):
- "Thank You, God, for sending people to help us understand the Bible."
- "Help us listen to You and obey."
- "Help us tell others about Jesus with kindness."
- "Thank You that Jesus is the Son of God. Amen."
Say: "Go and be a guide this week. Take your scroll with you!"
Materials
- KJV Bible
- Paper strips (about 4 per child, plus 2 sets of verse word strips)
- Crayons or markers
- Two envelopes
- Page of made-up symbols (for the opening)
- Craft sticks or pencils (2 per child)
- Tape and child-safe scissors
- Blue paper or tape for a 'water' spot
Teacher notes
- Safety: Craft uses scissors, tape, and small sticks. Adults do the cutting, and children under 6 should not have loose small parts. Check for allergies if you offer any snack.
- Adaptation: Use picture cards of the story for visual learners. Pair readers with non-readers during the word-strip game, and allow a quieter option of drawing the chariot.
- Stay with the text: it does not tell us the man's name or what Philip said besides starting at Isaiah and preaching Jesus. Keep guesses labeled as guesses.
- Some Bible versions omit Acts 8:37. The KJV includes it, so you can read it as the man's statement of faith.
Send it home with parents
Today we learned how God sent Philip to meet a man from Ethiopia who was reading Isaiah. Philip explained the Scripture and told him about Jesus. The man believed and was baptized, and he went home rejoicing. We learned that God can use us to help others understand the Bible and share Jesus.
- Who helped you learn about Jesus, and how?
- Who could you share the good news about Jesus with this week?
- What kind question could you ask to start talking with a friend about God?
Read Acts 8:26-39 together. Take turns being Philip and the man in the chariot. The "man" reads a verse and the "Philip" asks, "Do you understand?" and explains what it means.
Share one thing you know about Jesus with someone this week and say Acts 8:35 each day.
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