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,
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.

Context of Acts 8:18

16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the 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 and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”
• 2 Kings 8:9Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”
• Ezekiel 13:19You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.
• Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
• 1 Timothy 6:5and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

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