Acts 8:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

NIV: Peter answered: 'May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

NASB: But Peter said to him, 'May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the gift of God with money!

CSB: But Peter told him, "May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

NLT: But Peter replied, 'May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!

KJV: But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

NKJV: But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

After Philip teaches the Samaritans about Jesus and baptizes them, Peter and John come from Jerusalem. Their visit validates that these converts are members of the new church that follows Jesus of Nazareth as the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God. One of the residents of Samaria, a magician named Simon, sees the Holy Spirit come down as Peter and John lay their hands on the people. He immediately sees the financial potential and asks to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit to people (Acts 8:5–19). Peter responds negatively.

Simon is not the first to try to use God to get money. Elisha's servant Gehazi conned money from Naaman after God healed him; in response, God gave Naaman's leprosy to Gehazi (2 Kings 5:15–27). Money changers and vendors filled the temple court to make money from traveling Jews who had come to worship; Jesus overturned their tables (Mark 11:15–17). Eli and his sons took meat from sacrifices that were supposed to be dedicated to God; God caused the sons to die in battle and Eli to die, in part, due to obesity (1 Samuel 2:29; 4:17–18). Samuel's sons took bribes for favorable judgments; God allowed them to be replaced with a king (1 Samuel 8:1–9). It is true that God's ministers should receive their living from their work (1 Corinthians 9:14), but no one should use God for earthly blessings and no one can bribe God for His blessings (Psalm 50:8–11). We cannot transfer God's power as if it were water in a bucket.

Simon does get long-lasting notoriety, however. His name develops into the word "simony," which means to pay for a church office or privileges like pardons. The simony of the Roman Catholic Church, such as in selling indulgences, led Martin Luther to nail his 95 Theses on the church door in protest, an act which accelerated the Protestant Reformation.

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.