What did the Samaritans believe in Acts 8:12?
According to Acts 8:12, when the Samaritans heard Philip, they believed his preaching about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. They trusted that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God, and they were baptized.
Les explains that the Samaritans had previously been bewitched by Simon the sorcerer, who used satanic power. But when they believed Philip's preaching concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized. Les points out that Philip did not mention Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, which is the core of our Gospel. Instead, Philip preached that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. This matched John the Baptist's message: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, repent and be baptized.
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.