Acts 8:18

Acts 8:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
• New International Version (NIV)When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

Context of Acts 8:18

16for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession]. 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money!

Acts 8:18 word by word

Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Σίμων ὅτι διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τῶν ἀποστόλων δίδοται τὸ πνεῦμα προσήνεγκεν αὐτοῖς χρήματαRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• when SimonΣίμωνSimōn · SimonG4613
• sawθεάομαιtheaomai · to look atG2300
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• laying onἐπίθεσιςepithesis · laying onG1936
• of the apostles’ἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• he offeredπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• moneyχρῆμαchrēma · moneyG5536

Cross-references for Acts 8:18

• 2 Kings 5:15Then Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all the people in his group, and stood before him. He said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; so now accept a blessing and gift from your servant.”
• 2 Kings 8:9So Hazael went to meet Elisha and took a gift with him of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, asking, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”
• Ezekiel 13:19You have profaned Me among My people [in payment] for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die and giving [a guarantee of] life to those who should not live, because of your lies to My people who pay attention to lies.” ’ ”
• Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
• 1 Timothy 6:5and perpetual friction between men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].

Commentaries on Acts 8:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18When Simon saw, etc. - By hearing these speak with different tongues and work miracles. He offered them money - Supposing that the dispensing this Spirit belonged to them - that they could give it to whomsoever they pleased; and imagining that, as he saw them to be poor men, they would not object to take money for their gift; and it is probable that he had gained considerably by his juggling, and therefore could afford to spare some, as he hoped to make…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Simon saw … - That is, he witnessed the extraordinary effects, the power of speaking in a miraculous manner, etc. See the notes on Acts 8:15. He offered them money - He had had a remarkable influence over the Samaritans, and he saw that the possession of this power would perpetuate and increase his influence. People commonly employ the tricks of legerdemain for the purpose of making money, and it seems probable that such had been the design of Simon. He…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-25Verses 14-25 The Holy Ghost was as yet fallen upon none of these coverts, in the extraordinary powers conveyed by the descent of the Spirit upon the day of Pentecost. We may take encouragement from this example, in praying to God to give the renewing graces of the Holy Ghost to all for whose spiritual welfare we are concerned; for that includes all blessings. No man can give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of his hands; but we should use our best…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-24Simon the sorcerer performed magic and amazed the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great. Simon tried to buy spiritual power. The later corrupt practice of buying and selling positions of leadership in the church was called simony. This term refers to the corrupt practice of buying and selling church leadership positions (see 1 Timothy 6:9–10). Peter strongly criticized Simon's evil intentions and actions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2418-24. offered them money--Hence the term simony, to denote trafficking in sacred things, but chiefly the purchase of ecclesiastical offices.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 8:18

• Covetousness
• Holy Spirit
• Hypocrisy
• Integrity
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Peter
• Samaria
• Simon
• Simony

In the dictionaries

• Holy Ghost
• Believe
• Bitterness
• Consent
• Devout
• Havock
• Join
• Magic
• Peter
• Pray

Commentaries on Acts 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings