Acts 8:18

Easy-to-Read Version

Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

King James Version (1611)
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands, the holy Ghost was giuen, hee offered them money,

King James Version
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

English Standard Version
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

New American Standard Bible
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

New Century Version
Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money,

Amplified Bible
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

Legacy Standard Bible
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit had been bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

Berean Standard Bible
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money.

Contemporary English Version
Simon noticed that the Spirit was given only when the apostles placed their hands on the people. So he brought money

Complete Jewish Bible
Shim‘on saw that the Spirit was given when the emissaries placed their hands on them, and he offered them money.

Darby Translation
But Simon, having seen that by the laying on of the hands of the apostles the [Holy] Spirit was given, offered them money,

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when Simon sawe, that through laying on of the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was giuen, he offred them money,

George Lamsa Translation
And when Semon saw that the Holy Spirit was given by the laying on of the apostles'' hands, he offered them money,

Good News Translation
Simon saw that the Spirit had been given to the believers when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered money to Peter and John,

Lexham English Bible
Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money,

Literal Translation
But Simon having seen that the Holy Spirit is given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money,

American Standard Version
Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

Bible in Basic English
Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the touch of the Apostles' hands, he made them an offering of money, saying,

Hebrew Names Version
Now when Shim`on saw that the Ruach HaKodesh was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

International Standard Version
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money

Etheridge Translation
And when Simon saw that by the hand-laying of the apostles the Spirit of Holiness was given, he offered to them silver,

Murdock Translation
And when Simon saw that, by the imposition of a hand of the legates, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when Simon sawe, that thorow laying on of the apostles handes, ye holy ghost was geuen, he offred the money,

English Revised Version
Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

World English Bible
Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And Simon seeing that thro' laying on of the hands of the apostles the Holy Ghost was given,

Weymouth's New Testament
When, however, Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands that the Spirit was bestowed, he offered them money.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne Symount hadde seyn, that the Hooly Goost was youun bi leiyng on of the hoondis of the apostlis, and he proferide to hem money, and seide,

Update Bible Version
Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

New English Translation
Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money,

New King James Version
And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

New Living Translation
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.

New Life Bible
When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the missionaries laid their hands on the people, he wanted to give money to the missionaries.

New Revised Standard
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But Simon, seeing that, through means of the laying on of the hands of the Apostles, the Spirit was being given, offered unto them money,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when Simon saw that, by the imposition of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Revised Standard Version
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When Simo sawe that thorowe layinge on of the Apostles hondes on them the holy goost was geven: he offered the money

Young's Literal Translation
And Simon, having beheld that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Spirit is given, brought before them money,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan Simon sawe, that by the layenge on of the Apostles hades ye holy goost was geuen, he offred the money,

Mace New Testament (1729)
when Simon saw that the holy spirit was given by imposition of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, saying,

THE MESSAGE
When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the Spirit, he pulled out his money, excited, and said, "Sell me your secret! Show me how you did that! How much do you want? Name your price!"

Simplified Cowboy Version
When Simon, the voodoo priest, saw what was happening, he asked them how much they charged to get this new power. He said,

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ The apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God. So they sent Peter and John to the people in Samaria. ¹⁵ When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ These people had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, but the Holy Spirit had not yet come down on any of them. This is why Peter and John prayed. ¹⁷ When the two apostles laid their hands on the people, they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money. ¹⁹ He said, "Give me this power so that when I lay my hands on someone, they will receive the Holy Spirit." ²⁰ Peter said to Simon, "You and your money should both be destroyed because you thought you could buy God's gift with money. ²¹ You cannot share with us in this work. Your heart is not right before God. ²² Change your heart! Turn away from these evil thoughts and pray to the Lord. Maybe he will forgive you. ²³ I see that you are full of bitter jealousy and cannot stop yourself from doing wrong."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he offered: 2 Kings 5:15, 2 Kings 5:16, 2 Kings 8:9, Ezekiel 13:19, Matthew 10:8, 1 Timothy 6:5

Reciprocal: Judges 18:4 - hired me 1 Kings 13:7 - I will give 2 Kings 5:5 - and took 2 Kings 5:20 - Gehazi Isaiah 33:15 - shaketh Daniel 5:16 - thou shalt Micah 3:11 - and the prophets Matthew 12:44 - he findeth Matthew 13:22 - the care Matthew 13:47 - and gathered Mark 4:16 - which Luke 12:13 - Master Luke 14:7 - they John 6:26 - Ye seek Acts 8:17 - laid Acts 19:13 - took 1 Timothy 3:3 - not covetous 1 Timothy 5:24 - General 2 Timothy 1:6 - by the

Cross-References

Psalms 121:8
The Lord will protect you as you come and go, both now and forever!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when Simon saw,.... Whence it appears, that the Holy Ghost, or his gifts, which were received by imposition of hands, were something visible and discernible; and so something external, and not internal; otherwise they would have been out of Simon's reach, and would not have fallen under his notice; but he saw,

that through laying on of the apostles' hands, the Holy Ghost was given: he saw, that upon this men began to prophesy, and to speak with divers tongues they had never learned, and to work miracles, cure men of their diseases, and the like: and when he observed this,

he offered them money; to purchase such a power of conferring the like gifts, on whomsoever he should lay his hands: hence buying and selling spiritual things, or what relate thereunto, are commonly called "simony": a vice which has greatly prevailed in the church of Rome, and among its popes; and who therefore may be more properly called the successors of Simon Magus, than of Simon Peter.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Simon saw ... - That is, he witnessed the extraordinary effects, the power of speaking in a miraculous manner, etc. See the notes on Acts 8:15.

He offered them money - He had had a remarkable influence over the Samaritans, and he saw that the possession of this power would perpetuate and increase his influence. People commonly employ the tricks of legerdemain for the purpose of making money, and it seems probable that such had been the design of Simon. He saw that if he could communicate to “others” this power; if he could confer on “them” the talent of speaking other languages, it might be turned to vast account, and he sought, therefore, to purchase it of the apostles. From this act of Simon we have derived our word “simony,” to denote the buying and selling of ecclesiastical preferment, or church offices, where religion is supported by the state. This act of Simon shows conclusively that he was influenced by improper motives in becoming connected with the church.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 8:18. When Simon saw, c.] By hearing these speak with different tongues and work miracles.

He offered them money — Supposing that the dispensing this Spirit belonged to them-that they could give it to whomsoever they pleased and imagining that, as he saw them to be poor men, they would not object to take money for their gift; and it is probable that he had gained considerably by his juggling, and therefore could afford to spare some, as he hoped to make it all up by the profit which he expected to derive from this new influence.