Acts 8:20 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 8:14-25

God had wonderfully owned Philip in his work as an evangelist at Samaria, but he could do no more than an evangelist; there were some peculiar powers reserved to the apostles, for the keeping up of the dignity of their office, and here we have an account of what was done by two of them there?Peter and John. The twelve kept together at Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), and thither these good tidings were brought them that Samaria had received the word of God (Acts 8:14), that a great harvest of souls was... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:14-25

8:14-25 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they despatched Peter and John to them. They came down and prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet the Holy Spirit had fallen on no one. It was in the name of the Lord Jesus that they had been baptized. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he brought... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:20

But Peter said to him ,.... With great abhorrence and indignation, resenting and detesting his proposal: thy money perish with thee ; or "go into destruction with thee"; signifying, that he would not touch his money, or have anything to do with that or him either, in any such way: the words do not so much design an imprecation on his person, as an abhorrence of his sin; and rather show what his sin deserved than what he desired might be; for the apostle did not simply wish his damnation,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:20

Thy money perish with thee - This is an awful declaration; and imports thus much, that if he did not repent, he and his ill-gotten goods would perish together; his money should be dissipated, and his soul go into perdition. That the gift of God may be purchased - Peter takes care to inform not only Simon, but all to whom these presents may come, that the Spirit of God is the gift of God alone, and consequently cannot be purchased with money; for what reward can He receive from his... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:20

Verse 20 20.Peter answered. Peter giveth him the repulse here stoutly, and being not content to chide him, he addeth a bitter curse (or wish,) that Simon and his money may perish together; though he doth not so much wish unto him destruction, as he telleth him that the just vengeance of God hangeth over his head, that he might terrify him. In sum, he showeth what he hath deserved, when he hath made the Spirit of God subject to filthy buying and selling; as if he should have said, Thou art... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:5-25

Success and disappointment in Christian work. I. A LARGE MEASURE OF SUCCESS . We must consider: 1. The special obstacles in the way, viz. 2. The means by which success was gained. 3. The magnitude of the success. 4. Confirmation of it, both human and Divine. II. A SERIOUS DISCOURAGEMENT . There is no more disheartening blow which can fall on the heart of an earnest Christian worker than to find that his converts have not really changed their mind, but only... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:9-24

The first heretic. The appearance of Simon Magus in the list of the first converts to the faith, and his enrolment among the baptized members of the Church, must not be overlooked or passed hastily by, if we would profit by the exhaustive teaching supplied by the Acts of the Apostles for the use of the Church in all ages. When the student of Church history begins his studies expecting to find a record of faith and holiness, and to trace the triumphant victories of truth over falsehood... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:9-24

The type of one stricken with religion-blindness. It may be at once allowed that it were difficult to measure with any exactness the amount of moral guilt in Simon Magus. Happily we are not called to do this. That we cannot do it will not hinder our noticing the phenomena of what may well strike upon our own knowledge and our own light as an amazing development of the very obliquity itself of moral or spiritual vision. Confessedly with most various amount and kind of effect does the glory... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:14-24

The spirit of mammon in the Christian Church. Peter and John represented the apostolic authority, but not as something to be imposed on believers, but as linking them with the source of spiritual gifts. Simon represented the spirit of this world in the Church—the sins of ambition, covetousness, hypocrisy, priestcraft, intimately connected with the one fatal error of admitting the world's calculations into the Church. " He offered them money." The Church has listened to such offers far... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:20

Silver for money, A.V.; to obtain the gift of God for that the gift of God may be purchased, A.V. (rightly, κτᾶσθαι is the middle voice). Silver . This is a change of very doubtful necessity; ἀργύριον , like the French argent, is frequently used for "money" generally, without any reference to the particular metal of which it is made. Sometimes, indeed, it is used in opposition to "gold," as Acts 3:6 and Acts 20:33 , and then it is properly rendered "silver." Here the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 8:14-25

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 8:14-25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 8:20

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:20

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:5-25

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:9-24

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:9-24

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:14-24

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 8:20

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