Acts 8:9

Acts 8:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
• New International Version (NIV)Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,
• English Standard Version (ESV)But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great,

Context of Acts 8:9

7Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city. A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. 10Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” 11They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

Acts 8:9 word by word

Ἀνὴρ δέ τις ὀνόματι Σίμων προϋπῆρχεν ἐν τῇ πόλει μαγεύων καὶ ἐξιστάνων τὸ ἔθνος τῆς Σαμαρείας λέγων εἶναί τινα ἑαυτὸν μέγαν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But there wasδέde · thenG1161
• a certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• manἀνήρanēr · manG435
• calledὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• SimonΣίμωνSimōn · SimonG4613
• which beforetimeπροϋπάρχωprouparchō · be formerlyG4391
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the same cityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the same cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• used sorceryμαγεύωmageuō · to practice magicG3096
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• bewitchedἐξίστημιexistēmi · to amazeG1839
• the peopleἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• of SamariaΣαμάρειαSamareia · SamariaG4540
• giving out thatλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• great oneμέγαςmegas · greatG3173

Cross-references for Acts 8:9

• Acts 13:6Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
• Acts 16:16One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.
• Acts 19:18Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
• Exodus 7:11Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic.
• Exodus 8:18Pharaoh’s magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike.
• Exodus 9:11Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and all the Egyptians.
• Leviticus 20:6“I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.
• Deuteronomy 18:10For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft,
• 2 Timothy 3:8These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.
• Revelation 13:13He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching.
• Revelation 22:15Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
• Acts 5:36Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.
• John 7:18Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
• 2 Timothy 3:2For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
• 2 Peter 2:18They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception.

Commentaries on Acts 8:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9A certain man called Simon - In ancient ecclesiastical writers, we have the strangest account of this man; they say that he pretended to be the Father, who gave the law to Moses; that he came in the reign of Tiberius in the person of the Son; that he descended on the apostles on the day of pentecost, in flames of fire, in quality of the Holy Spirit; that he was the Messiah, the Paraclete, and Jupiter; that the woman who accompanied him, called Helena, was…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9But there was a certain man called Simon - The fathers have written much respecting this man, and have given strange accounts of him; but nothing more is certainly known of him than is stated in this place. Rosenmuller and Kuinoel suppose him to have been a Simon mentioned by Josephus (Antiq., book 20, chapter 7, section 2), who was born in Cyprus. He was a magician, and was employed by Felix to persuade Drusilla to forsake her husband Azizus, and to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-13Verses 5-13 As far as the gospel prevails, evil spirits are dislodged, particularly unclean spirits. All inclinations to the lusts of the flesh which war against the soul are such. Distempers are here named, the most difficult to be cured by the course of nature, and most expressive of the disease of sin. Pride, ambition, and desire after grandeur have always caused abundance of mischief, both to the world and to the church. The people said of Simon, This…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. 9-139-13. used sorcery--magical arts. some great one ... the great power of God--a sort of incarnation of divinity.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 8:9

• Faith
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Philip
• Preaching
• Samaria
• Self-Exaltation
• Simon
• Sorcery

In the dictionaries

• Samaria
• Samaria, Samaritan
• Believe
• Bitterness
• Consent
• Devout
• Divination
• Havock
• Join
• Magic

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