Acts 8:5–17

⁵Philip went down to a ^scity in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. ^t6The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing. ⁷For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ^u8So there was great joy in that city.

The Response of Simon

⁹A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. ^v10They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God!” ^wx11They were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time. ¹²But when they believed Philip, as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ^y13Then even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he went around constantly with ^zPhilip and was astounded as he observed the signs and great miracles ^athat were being performed.

Simon’s Sin

¹⁴When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them. ^b15After they went down there, they prayed for them, so the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶For He had not yet come down on ^cany of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ^d17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.