8. So the people in that city were very happy.
9. But there was a man named Simon in that city. Before Philip came there, Simon had practiced magic. He amazed all the people of Samaria with his magic. He bragged and called himself a great man.
10. All the people—the least important and the most important—paid attention to what Simon said. They said, “This man has the power of God, called ‘the Great Power’!”
11. Simon had amazed them with his magic tricks so long that the people became his followers.
12. But Philip told them the Good News about the kingdom of God and the power of Jesus Christ. Men and women believed Philip and were baptized.
13. Simon himself believed and was baptized. He stayed very close to Philip. When he saw the miracles and the very powerful things that Philip did, Simon was amazed.
14. The apostles were still in Jerusalem. They heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God. So they sent Peter and John to them.
15. When Peter and John arrived, they prayed that the Samaritan believers might receive the Holy Spirit.
16. These people had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. But the Holy Spirit had not yet entered any of them.
17. Then, when the two apostles began laying their hands on the people, they received the Holy Spirit.
18. Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money.
19. He said, “Give me also this power so that when I lay my hands on a person, he will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20. Peter said to him, “You and your money should both be destroyed! You thought you could buy God’s gift with money.
21. You cannot share with us in this work. Your heart is not right before God.