Acts 8:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

NIV: Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.

NASB: Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you.

CSB: Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven.

NLT: Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,

KJV: Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

NKJV: Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

Peter is warning a magician in Samaria about the dire risks of taking God lightly. Simon has watched new Jesus-followers receive the Holy Spirit as Peter and John lay their hands on them. He offers to buy the ability to impart the Holy Spirit. Apparently, he either thinks it's a trick or an effect of the demons he's likely used to working with. Peter explains how heretical and dangerous his offer is (Acts 8:14–21).

Although Simon was baptized in Jesus' name (Acts 8:13), he doesn't understand who Jesus or the Holy Spirit really are. He thinks he can use them for his own purposes: to regain the popularity he had before Philip came to town and started spreading the gospel (Acts 8:5–13). What Simon sees as a business opportunity Peter reveals as great wickedness that has filled him with bitterness (Acts 8:23). So far, Simon's sin is still in his heart. It's important to remember that we don't have to act to sin, and our sinful hearts are enough to condemn us (Matthew 5:21–30).

Even so, even despite his heresy and sin, Simon is not hopeless. He still can repent. To repent is to change one's paradigm about right and wrong, to accept that God's point of view is always right, and to recognize that to obey, trust, and love Him is always the right choice. In this moment, Simon still has the opportunity to change his worldview and really follow Christ.

In fact, everyone who is still living has that opportunity. It doesn't matter if they tried to use God to make money, performed miracles through demonic power, or murdered Christians (Acts 26:10), Jesus offers to forgive every sin and reconcile anyone to God. There is no sin He will not forgive except to continue to reject His death to cover their sins.

Acts 8:9–25 further describes the apostles' pursuit of Jesus' plan to bring salvation to those He chooses. Simon, a popular and presumably wealthy sorcerer, sees Philip's miracles. He especially notices the way the Holy Spirit comes on people when Peter and John lay their hands on them. Simon offers to buy their power. Meanwhile, Peter and John are in Samaria. The thought of Samaritans following Jesus goes against longstanding Jewish traditions. Yet the Samaritans are accepting Christ, and these messengers of the church are there to see the Holy Spirit come on them. God is not impressed by worldly popularity or wealth but on repentant, submissive hearts.

Jesus told the apostles they would spread the gospel (Acts 1:8) and persecution makes that happen. Upon the death of the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:54–60), a young Pharisee named Saul builds on the momentum to arrest and, if possible, execute Jesus followers (Acts 8:1–3; 26:10). The apostles mostly stay in Jerusalem, but the church members flee, spreading the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Important encounters in this passage include a magician named Simon and the conversion of an Ethiopian court official.

Acts 1:8 gives the outline of the book of Acts; Acts 1—7 describes the spread of the gospel through Jerusalem; Acts 8:1—11:18 shows the gospel spreading in Judea and Samaria; Acts 11:19—28:31 sees the gospel spread to the ''end of the earth,'' finalizing in Rome. Ironically, although Paul is the central figure in spreading Jesus' good news to the ends of the earth, his early persecution of the church in Jerusalem is instrumental in spreading the gospel through Judea and Samaria.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.