Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
Parallel translations
- KJV And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
- BSB When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
- NKJV And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
- NASB Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
- NLT When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.
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
Simon, seeing the Spirit given through the apostles' hands, offered them money for the power. His response exposes a heart seeking spiritual power for selfish ends.
Overview
Simon's attempt to buy the ability to confer the Spirit reveals that his heart was set on power and prestige, not on Christ. From this episode comes the term 'simony,' the sin of trafficking in sacred things. His action shows that he misunderstood the gift of God as something purchasable.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Tim 6:5constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.
- Matt 10:8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
- 2 Kgs 8:9So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
- 2 Kgs 5:15–16He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”
- Ezek 13:19You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die, and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’
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 8:18 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.