Acts 8:18

 

Acts 8:18

(KJV) And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

(1611 KJV) And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands, the holy Ghost was giuen, hee offered them money,

(1587 Geneva Bible) And when Simon sawe, that through laying on of the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was giuen, he offred them money,

(1526 Tyndale) When Simo sawe that thorowe layinge on of the Apostles hondes on them the holy goost was geven: he offered the money

 

Counterfeit Versions

(CSB) When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

(NIV) When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money

(NASV) Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

(THE MESSAGE) When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the Spirit, he pulled out his money,

(AMP) However, when Simon saw that the [Holy] Spirit was imparted through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he brought money and offered it to them,

(NLT) When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.

(ESV) Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

(CEV) Simon noticed that the Spirit was given only when the apostles placed their hands on the people. So he brought money

(NCV) Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money,

(HCSB) When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, [Footnote - Other mss omit Holy]

(NIRV) Simon watched as the apostles placed their hands on them. He saw that the Spirit was given to them. So he offered money to Peter and John.

(RSV) Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

(NAB-Roman Catholic) When Simon saw that the Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money

(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles the spirit was given, he offered them money,

 

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text

θεασαμενος δε ο σιμων οτι δια της επιθεσεως των χειρων των αποστολων διδοται το πνευμα το αγιον προσηνεγκεν αυτοις χρηματα

 

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text

ιδων δε ο σιμων οτι δια της επιθεσεως των χειρων των αποστολων διδοται το πνευμα προσηνεγκεν αυτοις χρηματα

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century

 

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse

A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century

C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century

D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century

E 08 - Sixth century

L 020 - Ninth century

P 025 - Ninth century

33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century

P 45 - Third Century

P 74 - Seventh Century

Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)

 

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions

Omit “holy” before Ghost

Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869

Tregelles, Samuel - 1857 (in brackets or in the margin)

Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871

Westcott and Hort - 1881

Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941

Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition

Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition

United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition

 

Affected Teaching

Here Simon thought that he would be able to purchase the Holy Spirit with money not realizing that the Holy Spirit is given to the true believer and He is not purchased with money. Peter gave him a severe rebuke that his money should perish with him. Isn’t it interesting that Peter rebukes Simon who tries to buy salvation for money. The Roman Catholic Institution sees Peter as the first Pope and instead of following Peter’s example, they sold indulgences to get people out of purgatory and into Heaven. So if he was their first Pope, then why did they disobey him and try to sell salvation? I threw that in for nothing. The modern versions omit the fact that the Holy Spirit is in view and the lesson is that God cannot be bought with money or anything man has. To omit “holy” is to attack the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. We live in a day when there are many spirits. Everyone you speak to is spiritual such as New Agers or occultic, or whatever. It is important that the word “holy” be included when speaking of the Holy Spirit so an instant distinction can be made about who is in focus. I think it is also interesting that the manuscript evidence favors including “agios” at 10 in favor and 2 against. So they go with two most corrupt manuscripts that omit it instead of including it because of overwhelming evidence. I have been studying this issue since 1986 and I still marvel at the way the theologians trash the real Bible in favor of their counterfeits. The scary thing is that these same “experts” are the ones who teach the next generation of preachers and missionaries.

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