Acts 8:14-25 Simon Magus and the Gift that Cannon Be Bought
Quick Summary
Acts 8:14–25 recounts the arrival of Peter and John in Samaria and the confrontation with Simon Magus. Luke explores the difference between outward belief and inward transformation, showing that the Holy Spirit is not a commodity to be acquired but a gift given freely by God. The passage exposes the danger of confusing spiritual power with control and calls the church to discernment, repentance, and prayer.
Introduction
Luke returns to Samaria to clarify what kind of faith the gospel creates. Philip’s ministry has drawn many into belief and baptism, including Simon, whose past influence rested on amazement and power. Acts 8:14–25 does not undo the joy of Samaria. Instead, it deepens the question of what it means to receive the Spirit.
The arrival of Peter and John signals continuity with the Jerusalem church. Luke shows that expansion does not lead to fragmentation. The same Spirit who propels the gospel outward also binds the community together across geography and leadership.
At the center of this passage stands a sharp contrast. God gives the Spirit as gift, not transaction. Luke uses Simon’s request to expose a temptation that runs through every age of the church: the desire to possess spiritual power rather than submit to God’s grace.
Verse by Verse Breakdown of Acts 8:14–25 and Commentary
Acts 8:14 — Hearing the Good News
“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them” (Acts 8:14).
Luke emphasizes recognition and response. The Jerusalem apostles hear of Samaria’s reception of the gospel and act in support rather than suspicion.
The sending of Peter and John affirms that Samaritans are not a separate movement but part of the same unfolding work of God. Expansion does not dilute authority. It confirms it.
Luke shows the church learning how to remain one while growing outward.
Acts 8:15–16 — Prayer and Expectation
“The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit… for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them” (Acts 8:15–16).
Luke pauses to describe a delay. The Samaritans have believed and been baptized, yet the reception of the Spirit awaits prayer.
This gap should not be read as deficiency but as formation. Luke highlights God’s freedom in giving the Spirit, resisting any formula or timeline.
Prayer, not technique, becomes the posture through which the gift is received.
Acts 8:17 — The Laying on of Hands
“Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:17).
Luke presents the laying on of hands as a visible sign of connection and blessing. The Spirit’s gift binds Samaria to the wider church.
This moment underscores unity. The same Spirit received in Jerusalem now rests upon those once considered outsiders.
Luke shows that inclusion is confirmed not by human approval, but by divine gift.
Acts 8:18–19 — Simon’s Request
“Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money” (Acts 8:18–19).
Luke is careful in how he narrates Simon’s action. Simon does not interrupt prayer or openly challenge the apostles’ authority. He watches. He observes closely. His request grows out of what he sees rather than what he hears proclaimed. The gift of the Spirit is interpreted through visible effect instead of relational surrender.
Simon’s instinct is shaped by a world he knows well. Power is mediated. Authority can be learned, transferred, and expanded. Influence is something one acquires and displays. Within that framework, offering money appears reasonable. Simon is not mocking the Spirit. He is attempting to access it using the only logic he knows.
Luke does not portray Simon as hostile. His interest is genuine. He wants what he sees happening among the believers. Yet his desire is still governed by control. The Spirit is approached as an extension of former practices rather than a disruption of them.
What is exposed here is not curiosity, but imagination. Simon’s framework has not yet been reshaped. Astonishment still governs him more than trust, and power still appears as something to be managed rather than received.
Acts 8:20 — A Severe Rebuke
“Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money!’” (Acts 8:20).
Peter’s response is immediate and uncompromising. Luke offers no softening language. The severity of the rebuke signals that the issue at hand is foundational rather than peripheral.
Peter names the distortion directly. God’s gift cannot be purchased. Grace is not a transaction. To imagine otherwise is not simply a mistake, but a misunderstanding of how God acts in the world.
Luke clarifies that money itself is not the problem. What is rejected is the assumption that divine power can be controlled, transferred, or expanded through human means. The rebuke draws a firm boundary around the life of the church.
In confronting Simon so sharply, Peter protects the community. Without this clarity, the church risks becoming a marketplace of power rather than a fellowship shaped by grace.
Acts 8:21 — A Matter of the Heart
“You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:21).
Peter shifts attention from Simon’s action to his inner posture. The problem is not merely what Simon asked, but how he understands himself in relation to God.
Luke emphasizes that participation in God’s work flows from alignment rather than proximity. Being present among believers or witnessing signs does not, by itself, constitute readiness.
Spiritual authority is shown to be relational before it is functional. The Spirit is not entrusted where the heart remains divided between control and surrender.
Acts 8:22–23 — Call to Repentance
“Repent therefore of this wickedness… for I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness” (Acts 8:22–23).
Peter’s rebuke opens toward repentance. Judgment is not the final word. Correction is offered with the hope of restoration.
Luke presents repentance as a turning away from distorted desire toward prayerful dependence. Simon is invited to relinquish his former framework and submit himself fully to God’s mercy.
The language is strong because the stakes are high. What threatens Simon also threatens the health of the community. Distorted views of power, if left unaddressed, spread quietly and destructively.
Acts 8:24 — A Troubled Response
“Simon answered, ‘Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me’” (Acts 8:24).
Simon’s response remains unresolved. He asks for prayer, but he does not yet voice repentance himself.
Luke allows the ambiguity to remain. Transformation is possible, but incomplete. Fear appears more prominent than confession.
The reader is invited to consider the slow, uneven work of conversion. Not every turning point resolves cleanly.
Acts 8:25 — Witness Continues
“Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans” (Acts 8:25).
Luke closes the episode by returning attention to mission. Correction does not halt proclamation.
The gospel continues outward, village by village, even as the church learns through tension and failure.
Grace proves stronger than misunderstanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Simon truly a believer?
Luke affirms Simon’s belief while exposing its immaturity. The passage focuses on formation rather than final judgment.
Why does Luke delay the Spirit’s reception?
Luke highlights unity, prayer, and God’s freedom rather than establishing a pattern to be replicated.
What is the danger addressed here?
The temptation to treat spiritual power as something to be controlled rather than received.
Works Consulted
Bruce, F. F. The Book of the Acts. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Acts of the Apostles. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1992.
Keener, Craig S. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, Volume 2. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
