Acts 8:29 - "The spirit SAID to Philip..."

In an attempt to show that the Holy Spirit is a person, some have pointed to Acts 8:29 which says:

"So the spirit said to Philip: "Approach and join yourself to this chariot."' - NWT

Because the scripture mentions that the "spirit" actually spoke this sentence, some claim that this shows that the Holy Spirit must be a person because only people speak. But is this really the case?

In order to verify the true situation here, this scripture needs to be put in context. Back up to verse 26:

"However, Jehovah's angel spoke to Philip, saying: "Rise and go to the south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Ga´za." (This is a desert road.)

"With that he rose and went, and, look! an E·thi·o´pi·an eunuch, a man in power under Can·da´ce queen of the E·thi·o´pi·ans, and who was over all her treasure. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, but he was returning and was sitting in his chariot and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah.

"So the spirit said to Philip: "Approach and join yourself to this chariot." (Acts 8:26-9) NWT

In verse 26 we see that it was not the Holy Spirit who began talking to Philip but instead it was "Jehovah's angel". "Jehovah's angel" continues his instructions to Philip in verse 29. Note: verse 29 does not say the Holy Spirit, but only "spirit" (as is seen in numerous translations). The Greek language shows that "spirit" does also mean merely "angels" as the context here indicates.

And even if it was talking about the Holy Spirit here, it still doesn't call the spirit "God". In fact, it clearly calls the spirit "Jehovah's angel" or "an ANGEL of God"... a term (angel) that trinitarians seem to be extremely sensitive to. Also, this was not a specific angel such as a title "The Angel of the Lord". No, this was "an" angel of God...one of many angels available who carried the message.

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