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 Living Translation (NLT)for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

Context of Acts 8:23

21You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” 24Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” 25So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

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 may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood;
• Deuteronomy 32:32For their vine is of the vine of Sodom And of the fields of Gomorrah; Their grapes are grapes of gall, Their clusters are bitter.
• Job 20:14Yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him.
• Jeremiah 4:18“Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to 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 water of gall to drink.
• Lamentations 3:5He has besieged me And surrounded me with bitterness and woe.
• Hebrews 12:15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
• Psalms 116:16O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds.
• Proverbs 5:22His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
• Isaiah 28:22Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth.
• John 8:34Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
• Romans 6:17But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
• 2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved 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
• Consent
• Devout
• Havock
• Join
• Magic
• Peter
• Pray
• Regard

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