8:18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit39 was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 8:19 saying, “Give me this power40 too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
tc Most witnesses (𝔓45, 74 A* C D E Ψ 33 1739 𝔐 latt sy bo) here read “the Holy Spirit” (τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, to pneuma to hagion), while a few key mss have simply τὸ πνεῦμα (א Ac B sa mae). Although it is possible that some scribes omitted τὸ ἅγιον because of its perceived superfluity (note vv. 15, 17, 19), it is far more likely that others added the adjective out of pious motives.