Acts 8:5-13 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:13

Then Simon himself believed also ,.... With an historical and temporary faith, as that Jesus was the Messiah, &c.; or at least he pretended, to believe this, and professed that he did believe, what others did, and Philip preached: and when he was baptized ; upon profession of his faith, which he so artfully made, that Philip could not discover his hypocrisy: but taking him to be a sincere believer, admitted him to baptism: after which, he continued with Philip ; kept close to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:5

Then Philip - One of the seven deacons, Acts 6:5 , called afterwards, Philip the Evangelist, Acts 21:8 . The city of Samaria - At this time there was no city of Samaria existing: according to Josephus, Ant. lib. xiii. cap. 10, sect. 3, Hyrcanus had so utterly demolished it as to leave no vestige of it remaining. Herod the Great did afterwards build a city on the same spot of ground; but he called it ΣεβαϚη i.e. Augusta, in compliment to the Emperor Augustus, as Josephus tells us,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:6

The people with one accord gave heed - He had fixed their attention, not only with the gravity and importance of the matter of his preaching, but also by the miracles which he did. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:7

For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed - Hence it is evident that these unclean spirits were not a species of diseases; as they are here distinguished from the paralytic and the lame. There is nothing more certain than that the New Testament writers mean real diabolic possessions by the terms unclean spirits, devils, etc., which they use. It is absolute trifling to deny it. If we, in our superior sagacity can show that they were mistaken, that is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:8

There was great joy in that city - No wonder, when they heard such glorious truths, and were the subjects of such beneficent miracles. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:9

A certain man called Simon - In ancient ecclesiastical writers, we have the strangest account of this man; they say that he pretended to be the Father, who gave the law to Moses; that he came in the reign of Tiberius in the person of the Son; that he descended on the apostles on the day of pentecost, in flames of fire, in quality of the Holy Spirit; that he was the Messiah, the Paraclete, and Jupiter; that the woman who accompanied him, called Helena, was Minerva, or the first intelligence;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:10

This man is the great power of God - That is, he is invested with it, and can command and use it. They certainly did not believe him to be God; but they thought him to be endued with a great supernatural power. There is a remarkable reading here in several MSS. which should not pass unnoticed. In ABCDE, several others, together with the Ethiopic, Armenian, later Syriac, Vulgate, Itala, Origen, and Irenaeus, the word καλουμενη is added before μεγαλη , and the passage reads thus, This... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:12

But when they believed Philip - So it is evident that Philip's word came with greater power then that of Simon; and that his miracles stood the test in such a way as the feats of Simon could not. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:13

Simon himself believed also - He was struck with the doctrine and miracles of Philip - he saw that these were real; he knew his own to be fictitious. He believed therefore that Jesus was the Messiah, and was in consequence baptized. Continued with Philip, and wondered - ΕξιϚατο , He was as much astonished and confounded at the miracles of Philip as the people of Samaria were at his legerdemain. It is worthy of remark that εξιϚατο comes from the same root, εξιϚημι , as the word ... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:5

Verse 5 5.Luke said that they all preached the Word of God, now he maketh mention of Philip alone, both because his preaching was more fruitful and effectual than the preaching of the rest, and also because there followed notable histories, which he will add afterward. He put the city of Samaria for the city Samaria which was laid waste by Hyrcanus, and built again by Herod, and called Sebaste. Read Josephus, in his Thirteenth and Fifteenth Books of Antiquities. When he saith that Philip... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:5

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