- Acts 8:21-25
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- Acts 8:21 (KJB)
- Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not
right in the sight of God.
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- Since Simon tried to buy the gift of God, that mindset ruled out any
possibility of him having a part in this matter. If he would have come to
the apostles and asked to have their hands laid on him and receive the Holy
Ghost, then he would have done it the proper way. His heart was not right in
this matter and showed through by him offering money. Peter was able to
discern his heart and knew that it was not toward God.
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- Acts 8:22 (KJB)
- Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the
thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
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- Peter now tells Simon that he needs to repent of this evil and seek the
Lord and pray to Him and if it be God’s will, He may forgive him of this
wicked scheme. That scheme also included himself as being self-propelled to
a high position, equal to the one he previously had. He did not understand
that salvation was not something that you buy with money because it was
already bought with the blood of Christ on Calvary.
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- Acts 8:23 (KJB)
- For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in
the bond of iniquity.
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- Bond - Fetter or something that binds
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- Peter was discerning that Simon had a very distasteful attitude toward
God and was in a state of bitterness which could bring forth fruits of rage
and hatred. Maybe Simon was holding some resentment for the fact that he
lost his high position in the community as “a great one.” Whatever it was
that was binding him a like a fetter, it caused him to be in the bond of
unrighteousness or iniquity.
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- Acts 8:24 (KJB)
- Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of
these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
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- It seems Simon had now come to his senses in asking Peter and John to
intercede in prayer to the Lord for him. He may have asked prayer in fear of
what could happen if he did not repent or he may have been praying and
becoming saved, but whatever the reason, he seemed to start coming around to
reality. There was definitely a change of attitude in this man.
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- Acts 8:25 (KJB)
- And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord,
returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the
Samaritans.
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- Peter and John had continued for some time in Samaria as they preached
the Gospel in many villages, fulfilling the Lord’s Great Commission that the
Gospel will go to Samaria. These people were receiving the same Gospel which
Jerusalem was getting from the apostles including the life and teachings of
Jesus. Once they had preached the Gospel, Peter and John returned to
Jerusalem, preaching as they went, to give a report to the other apostles.
Philip stayed behind and continued with the Samaritans.
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