They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.
Parallel translations
- WEB They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
- KJV And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
- NKJV And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.
- NASB And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic arts.
- NLT They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They followed Simon because his sorceries had long amazed them. His hold over the people rested on impressive but deceptive works.
Overview
The people's allegiance to Simon was rooted in his long-standing magic. This explains the strength of his influence and the significance of so many now turning to Christ instead. It exposes the emptiness of signs that exalt a man rather than glorify God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Acts 8:9Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
- Gal 3:1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
- Isa 47:9–13These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.
- Isa 8:19When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
- Isa 44:25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 8:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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