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Acts 8

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

And there was great joy in that city.

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:

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

What does Acts 8:13 mean?

Explanation

Acts 8:13 speaks of Simon, a man previously known for practicing sorcery in Samaria, who believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ as preached by Philip.

Simon's belief led him to be baptized, signifying a public commitment to his new faith.

Following his baptism, Simon continued with Philip , that is, he stayed close to the disciple, learning and observing.

The verse highlights Simon's amazement at the genuine miracles and signs performed by Philip, which were starkly different from the magic and illusions Simon was familiar with.

The deeper meaning here may reflect the transformative power of the Gospel, as even those heavily involved in practices antithetical to Christian teaching can come to belief and be astonished by the true workings of God.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The Book of Acts, also known as the Acts of the Apostles, was likely written by Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke, around A.D. 63–70.

This book details the history of the early church and the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome.

The city of Samaria held significance as a place with longstanding tensions with Jewish territories due to historical, religious, and ethnic differences.

Simon the Sorcerer, or Simon Magus, as he is sometimes known, had made a name for himself in Samaria through his use of sorcery, and it appears that he held a position of respect amongst the Samaritans because of his arts.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse demonstrates the effect that the evangelical mission of the early church had on diverse audiences, including those involved in pagan practices. Simon's conversion can be interpreted in different ways:

Some may see it as a genuine conversion showing that the truth of the Gospel reached and changed even a sorcerer's heart.
Others, considering the full context of Acts 8, may view his belief and subsequent actions with skepticism, suggesting that his motives were not pure and that he saw the power of the Holy Spirit as another form of 'magic' he could harness.
A Calvinist perspective might emphasize the sovereignty of God to save whom He wills, including someone like Simon.
Arminian theology would highlight the human response to the Gospel message as Simon 'believed also.'

Practical Applications

Acts 8:13 serves as a reminder that:

One should never be quick to judge who can receive the message of Christ; even those who seem unlikely candidates can come to faith.
There is a clear distinction between the miraculous works of God and the deceptive practices of sorcery or magic.
This verse also encourages believers to cling to teachers of the Word as Simon clung to Philip, striving to learn and grow in understanding.

Cross-References

Acts 8:9-12: Describes Simon's background and the setting prior to his conversion.
Matthew 13:20-21: Discusses the reception of the Word and how some receive it with joy yet do not have deep roots.
2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Language Study

The key words in Acts 8:13 original Greek include:

"believed" (επίστευσεν, episteusen): from πιστεύω, pisteuo, meaning to trust, be persuaded of, or have faith in.
"baptized" (εβαπτίσθη, ebaptisthe): from βαπτίζω, baptizo, meaning to immerse or submerge, symbolizing purification or regeneration.
"continued with" (προσεμενεν, prosmenen): from προσμένω, prosmeno, meaning to remain or stay closely beside.
"wondered" (εξίστατο, existato): from ἐξίστημι, existemi, meaning to be astonished or amazed.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The conversion of Simon the Sorcerer can be compared with other accounts of transformation in ancient myths and religious texts:

The conversion of Asclepius from a sorcerer to a revered healer in Greek mythology.
The narrative transformation stories in other religions, like in Hindu texts where the asura (demon) Valmiki becomes a great sage and author of the Ramayana after encountering the divine.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understanding of conversion experiences and belief change does not typically account for supernatural events, which are integral to this verse.

However, psychological theories about the impact of cogent new beliefs and experiences on personal transformation could be relevant when considering how someone might abandon previous practices in favor of adopting new behaviors consistent with those beliefs.

commentaries

Expert opinion on Acts 8:13 varies:

Some commentaries, like Matthew Henry's, may suggest that while Simon believed and was baptized, his heart was not right in the sight of God, as is later revealed in Acts 8:21.
John Calvin might argue that Simon's faith was not a true saving faith but a temporary belief that quickly faded when tested.
Others, such as the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible, might emphasize the power of the Gospel to reach and transform even those entrenched in sin, while also cautioning that not all who profess belief truly understand or commit to it.

Acts 8

Acts 8

What does Acts 8:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 8:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?