What did Simon the sorcerer do to the people in Samaria before the gospel came?
Before the gospel came to Samaria, Simon practiced sorcery and witchcraft, bewitching the people and claiming to be some great one. By miracles he performed through Satan’s power, he amazed them from least to greatest, so they gave heed and called him the great power of God, though he was not.
Les explains that Simon, a certain man in Samaria, had before time used sorcery, witchcraft, and bewitched the people. He gave out that he himself was some great one because of the miracles he could perform. The people, from the least to the greatest, gave heed to him, saying he was the great power of God. But Les stresses he was not; he was the power of Satan. Les compares this to Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, where Egypt’s magicians did the same sign, yet Aaron’s serpent swallowed theirs, showing God’s power is greater than Satan’s. He warns not to sell Satan short, noting missionaries reported real satanic power among witch doctors. Simon had long bewitched the people with sorcery, and he had them confused, thinking he was some great one, but it was not the power of God.
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:
More Questions
What did Simon do in Samaria in Acts 8?
A certain man named Simon in Samaria used sorcery and witchcraft to bewitch the people and gave out that he was some great one because of the miracles he could perform.