47 Grk “in the gall of bitterness,” an idiom meaning to be particularly envious or resentful of someone. In this case Simon was jealous of the apostles’ power to bestow the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, and wanted that power for himself. The literal phrase does not convey this to the modern reader, and in fact some modern translations have simply rendered the phrase as involving bitterness, which misses the point of the envy on Simon’s part. See L&N 88.166. The OT images come from Deut 29:17–18 and Isa 58:6.

In other versions

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.”

for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

For I see you are in a state of bitter envy and bound by unrighteousness.”

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

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