Acts 8:23

Acts 8:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
• New International Version (NIV)For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

Context of Acts 8:23

21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God. 22So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are provoked by bitterness and bound by sin.” 24But Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.” 25So, when Peter and John had given their testimony and preached the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about salvation] in many Samaritan villages [along the way].

Acts 8:23 word by word

εἰς γὰρ χολὴν πικρίας καὶ σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας ὁρῶ σε ὄντα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• I perceiveὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• that thouσύsu · youG4771
• artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the gallχολήcholē · gallG5521
• of bitternessπικρίαpikria · bitternessG4088
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the bondσύνδεσμοςsundesmos · bond(age)G4886
• of iniquityἀδικίαadikia · unrighteousnessG93

Cross-references for Acts 8:23

• Deuteronomy 29:18so that there will not be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the [false] gods of these nations; so that there will not be among you a root [of idolatry] bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood (bitterness).
• Deuteronomy 32:32For their vine is from the vine of Sodom, And from the fields of Gomorrah; Their grapes are grapes of poison, Their clusters, bitter.
• Job 20:14Yet his food turns [to poison] in his stomach; It is the venom of vipers within him.
• Jeremiah 4:18Your ways and your deeds Have brought these things on you. This is your tragedy and doom; how bitter, How it has touched your heart!”
• Jeremiah 9:15therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood and give them bitter and poisonous water to drink.
• Lamentations 3:5He has besieged and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
• Hebrews 12:15See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
• Psalms 116:16O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid; You have unfastened my chains.
• Proverbs 5:22The iniquities done by a wicked man will trap him, And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
• Isaiah 28:22Now do not carry on as scoffers, Or the bands which bind you will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts [a decree] Of decisive destruction on all the earth.
• John 8:34Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, everyone who practices sin habitually is a slave of sin.
• Romans 6:17But thank God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed.
• 2 Peter 2:4For if God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but threw them into hell and sent them to pits of gloom to be kept [there] for judgment;

Commentaries on Acts 8:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The gall of bitterness - A Hebraism for excessive bitterness: gall, wormwood, and such like, were used to express the dreadful effects of sin in the soul; the bitter repentance, bitter regret, bitter sufferings, bitter death, etc., etc., which it produces. In Deuteronomy 29:18, idolatry and its consequences are expressed, by having among them a root that beareth Gall and Wormwood. And in Hebrews 12:15, some grievous sin is intended, when the apostle warns…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23For I perceive - That is, by the act which he had done. His offer had shown a state of mind that was wholly inconsistent with true religion. One single sin “may” as certainly show that there is no true piety as many acts of iniquity. It may be so decided, so malignant, so utterly inconsistent with just views as at once to determine what the character is. The sin of Simon was of this character. Peter here does not appear to have claimed the power of…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 8:23

• Covetousness
• Depravity of Man
• Gall
• Hypocrisy
• Integrity
• Minister, Christian
• Peter
• Reproof
• Samaria
• Simon
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Believe
• Bitter
• 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