religious figure who confronted Peter
Wikipedia
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Simon Magus - Wikipedia
1 month ago - Simon Magus (Greek Σίμων ὁ μάγος, Latin: Simon Magus), also known as Simon the Magician, was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. The act of simony, or paying for position, is named after Simon, who tried to buy his way into ...
Encyclopedia Britannica
britannica.com › philosophy & religion › religious personages & scholars
Simon Magus | Samarian Magician, Gnostic Heresies | Britannica
July 20, 1998 - Simon Magus was a practitioner of magical arts who probably came from Gitta, a village in biblical Samaria. Simon, according to the New Testament account in Acts of the Apostles 8:9–24, after becoming a Christian, offered to purchase from ...
Videos
GotQuestions
gotquestions.org › Simon-the-Sorcerer.html
Who was Simon the Sorcerer? | GotQuestions.org
January 30, 2011 - In the book of Acts it is stated that he “amazed all the people of Samaria” (Acts 8:9), but the account does not identify him as a Samaritan himself. Christian apologist Justin Martyr is believed to have propagated the idea that Simon was a Samaritan from the city of Gitta, and this has been accepted in early church tradition and today by some church historians. The Jew called Simon who “pretended to be a magician” is referred to by the historian Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, book 20, chapter 7), but this appears to be a different historical figure, as he was born in Cyprus.
The Orchard Church
theorchardchurch.org › blog › 2023 › 07 › 10 › acts-13-6-12-paul-and-elymas-the-magician
Acts 13:6-12: Paul and Elymas the Magician | The Orchard Church | Loganville & Walnut Grove GA – Modern Worship
I guess he gets two names, just like John Mark (sometimes called John or Mark separately), Saul/Paul, and Barnabas/Joseph (Acts 4)—lots of people with two names in Luke, like reading Russian literature. Oddly enough, Elymas is Jewish. Jewish magicians were considered powerful and highly sought after in the Roman political world, which is also odd because practicing magic was forbidden by Scripture.
Mission Bible Class -
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Simon the Sorcerer - Mission Bible Class
August 3, 2025 - Scripture Reference: Acts 8:5-25 · Suggested Emphasis: Magic tricks are just “tricks,” but miracles are by the power of God. Memory Verse: “You are the God who did miracles. You showed people your power.” Psalm 77:14, ICB · Philip was one of the original seven helpers in the church.
Desiring God
desiringgod.org › messages › simons-perversion-of-signs-and-wonders
Simon's Perversion of Signs and Wonders | Desiring God
April 11, 2025 - But the problem is he never sees the bird. The whole point of the sign is missed. That is what happened to Simon the magician here in Acts 8. He saw the signs that Philip was doing.
Podbean
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Acts 8:9-24 - Simon the Magician | Thinking on Scripture with Dr. Steven R. Cook
July 12, 2023 - Luke continues, saying, “And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts” (Acts 8:11). Apparently Simon was performing his “magic arts” by means of demonic forces.
Heaven On Wheels
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A Study of Acts: Simon the Magician; Peter and John Travel to Samaria
September 26, 2024 - For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” · Acts 8:9-24 NASB1995 · The people of Samaria had been paying heed to a magician named Simon for a period of time, who awed them with amazing works of magic, so much so that they said he had the Great Power of God.
YouVersion
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Acts 8:9-13 Previous to Philip’s arrival, a certain Simon had practiced magic in the city, posing as a famous man and dazzling all the Samaritans with his wizardry. He had them all, from little children to old me But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: to whom they all gave heed, Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing th
Previous to Philip’s arrival, a certain Simon had practiced magic in the city, posing as a famous man and dazzling all the Samaritans with his wizardry. He had them all, from little children to old me But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: to whom they all gave heed, Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving But there was a man named Simon in that city.
Liberty University
libguides.liberty.edu › c.php
Simon the Magician - BIBL 364 - Acts - Research Guides at Liberty University
Relation of the 7 in Acts 6 to the Office of Deacon · Acts 4:12 · Simon the Magician · Speaking in Tongues in Acts · William Coberly · Email Me · Book a Meeting · Contact: 434-582-8739 · Subjects: Philosophy, Religion · Brakke, David. “Simon Magus: The First Gnostic?” Catholic ...
Thirdmill
thirdmill.org › answers › answer.asp › file › 39730
Q&A: Simon the Magician
Simon Magus (a.k.a. Simon the Magician) is a very interesting character. The Bible records his encounter with Peter in Acts 8, and several early Christian writings tell of things that later happened with Simon Magus.
Gentle Reformation
gentlereformation.com › 2020 › 01 › 17 › three-lessons-from-simon-the-magician
Three Lessons from Simon the Magician
January 20, 2020 - Last Lord’s Day in our congregation we were confronted by the unsettling figure of Simon the Magician in our series in the book of Acts (8.9-24). Luke seems to include his story in his treatment of the Samaritan church for the same kind of ...
BibleRef.com
bibleref.com › Acts › 8 › Acts-8-24.html
What does Acts 8:24 mean? | BibleRef.com
Simon is a magician in the city of Samaria. He witnessed his neighbors receiving the Holy Spirit by the hands of Peter and John. It's unclear if Simon performed magic through the power of demons, or if he was a complete fraud.
ESV Bible
esv.org › Acts+8:9–25
Acts 8:9–25; Acts 13:6–12; Acts 16:16–18; Acts 19:13–19
But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the l…
BiblicalTraining
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Simon Magus - Search results provided by BiblicalTraining
Philip encountered him in a town which was prob. the capital Sebaste, but may have been Gitta, Simon’s traditional home. The magician himself became a convert (episteusen, “believed,” is the normal term in Acts), was baptized with many others, and was amazed at the miracles of Philip which apparently surpassed his own.
Reading Acts
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Acts 8 - Simon the Magician - Reading Acts
February 3, 2025 - Both amaze the Samaritans, Simon with magic (8:9, 11) and Philip with miracles (8:13). Simon, however, attempts to make himself something great. At the same time, Philip acts only “in the name of Jesus” (8:12,16).
Simply Bible
simplybible.com › f78n-acts-c8-v1-25.htm
Acts 8:1-25 verse by verse - Simon the Sorcerer in Samaria
He'd amazed the people of Samaria, ... great power of God.” They listened to him because he'd long amazed them with his sorceries." (Acts 8:9-11). Simon the magician....
Bible Hub
biblehub.com › acts › 8-9.htm
Acts 8:9 Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
Biblical Archaeology Society
library.biblicalarchaeology.org › home › the fall and rise of simon magus
The Fall and Rise of Simon Magus - The BAS Library
September 1, 2005 - Simon Magus is arguably the worst of the bad guys in the history of the church.1 One of the major sins, simony, the act of buying an ecclesiastical office, is named for this magician who clashed with the apostle Peter. It gets worse. In the early Christian apocrypha, he is the common enemy ...