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

7For unclean spirits were coming out of many who were plagued, shrieking with a loud voice. Many paralyzed and crippled were healed also. 8So there was great joy in that city. Now a man named Simon had been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. 10They all were paying special attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” 11And they kept paying attention to him, because for a long time he had astonished them with his magical arts.

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 13:6When they had gone throughout the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a man who was a magician—a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Yeshua.
• Acts 16:16It so happened that as we were going to prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, who was bringing her masters much profit from her fortune-telling.
• Acts 19:18Many also of those who had believed came confessing and recounting their practices.
• Exodus 7:11Then Pharaoh called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they too, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.
• Exodus 8:18“But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are dwelling—except no swarm of flies will be there—so that you may know that I, Adonai, am in the midst of the earth.
• Exodus 9:11Moreover, the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, because they were on the magicians, as on all the Egyptians.
• Leviticus 20:6“The soul that turns to mediums or to soothsayers, prostituting himself with them, I will set My face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people.
• Deuteronomy 18:10There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or a fortune-teller, soothsayer, omen reader, or sorcerer,
• 2 Timothy 3:8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these people oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and worthless concerning the faith.
• Revelation 13:13He performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven in the sight of men.
• Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
• Acts 5:36For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a number of men, maybe four hundred, joined up with him. He was killed, and all who followed him were scattered and came to nothing.
• John 7:18Whoever speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in the Temple of God, proclaiming himself that he is God.
• 2 Timothy 3:2for people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
• 2 Peter 2:18For by mouthing grandiosities that amount to nothing, they entice in sensual fleshly passions those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

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