Acts 8:20

Acts 8:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
• New International Version (NIV)Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

Context of Acts 8:20

18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this power also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter told him, “May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven.

Acts 8:20 word by word

Πέτρος δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· τὸ ἀργύριόν σου σὺν σοὶ εἴη εἰς ἀπώλειαν, ὅτι τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνόμισας διὰ χρημάτων κτᾶσθαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Thyσύsu · youG4771
• moneyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• moneyἀργύριονargurion · moneyG694
• ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ·εἰςeis · towardG1519
• perishἀπώλειαapōleia · destructionG684
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• thou hast thoughtνομίζωnomizō · to thinkG3543
• thatδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the giftδωρεάdōrea · free giftG1431
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• may be purchasedκτάομαιktaomai · to possesG2932
• with moneyχρῆμαchrēma · moneyG5536

Cross-references for Acts 8:20

• Acts 1:18Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages. He fell headfirst, his body burst open and his intestines spilled out.
• Deuteronomy 7:26Do not bring any detestable thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You are to abhor and detest it utterly because it is set apart for destruction.
• Joshua 7:24Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
• 2 Kings 5:26“And my heart didn’t go when the man got down from his chariot to meet you,” Elisha said. “Is this a time to accept silver and clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, flocks and herds, and male and female slaves?
• Daniel 5:17Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him.
• Habakkuk 2:9Woe to him who dishonestly makes wealth for his house to place his nest on high, to escape the grasp of disaster!
• Zechariah 5:4I will send it out,” — this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies — “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by my name. It will stay inside his house and destroy it along with its timbers and stones.”
• Matthew 27:3Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
• 1 Timothy 6:9But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.
• James 5:3Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days.
• 2 Peter 2:14They have eyes full of adultery that never stop looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse!
• Revelation 18:15The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,
• Acts 8:22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven.
• Deuteronomy 15:9Be careful that there isn’t this wicked thought in your heart, ‘The seventh year, the year of canceling debts, is near,’ and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty.
• 2 Kings 5:15Then Naaman and his whole company went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “I know there’s no God in the whole world except in Israel. Therefore, please accept a gift from your servant.”
• Proverbs 15:26The Lord detests the plans of the one who is evil, but pleasant words are pure.

Commentaries on Acts 8:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Thy money perish with thee - This is an awful declaration; and imports thus much, that if he did not repent, he and his ill-gotten goods would perish together; his money should be dissipated, and his soul go into perdition. That the gift of God may be purchased - Peter takes care to inform not only Simon, but all to whom these presents may come, that the Spirit of God is the gift of God alone, and consequently cannot be purchased with money; for what…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Thy money perish with thee - This is expressive of the horror and indignation of Peter at the base offer of Simon. It is not to be understood as an imprecation on Simon. The main idea is the apostle‘s contempt for the “money,” as if he regarded it as of no value. “Let your money go to destruction. We abhor your impious offer. We can freely see “any” amount of money destroyed before we will be tempted to sell the gift of the Holy Spirit. But there was here…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 8:20

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

In the dictionaries

• God
• Peter
• Peter, Simon Peter, Cephas
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Believe
• Bitterness
• Consent
• Devout
• Gift
• Havock

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