Acts 8:10 kjv
To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
Acts 8:10 nkjv
to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God."
Acts 8:10 niv
and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is rightly called the Great Power of God."
Acts 8:10 esv
They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great."
Acts 8:10 nlt
Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as "the Great One ? the Power of God."
Acts 8 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 8:10 | To whom they all paid attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the Great Power of God." | Acts 8:11 |
| Acts 8:9 | And there was a certain man named Simon, who previously in the city practiced sorcery and amazed the people of Samaria, | Acts 8:9 |
| John 1:1 | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. | John 1:1 (Incarnation of Christ) |
| Colossians 1:15-17 | He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. | Colossians 1:15-17 (Christ's supremacy) |
| Hebrews 1:3 | He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his powerful word. | Hebrews 1:3 (Christ's divine nature) |
| Isaiah 45:21 | Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together. Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. | Isaiah 45:21 (God's uniqueness) |
| 1 Corinthians 1:24 | but Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. | 1 Corinthians 1:24 (Christ as God's power) |
| Deuteronomy 18:10-12 | There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. | Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (Prohibition of sorcery) |
| Romans 1:20 | For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. | Romans 1:20 (God's power in creation) |
| 2 Timothy 3:8 | Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. | 2 Timothy 3:8 (Satanic opposition) |
| Ephesians 6:12 | For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. | Ephesians 6:12 (Spiritual warfare) |
| Acts 5:36 | For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; but he was slain, and all who followed him were scattered. | Acts 5:36 (Example of false leaders) |
| Acts 13:8-11 | But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, "You deceiver and enemy of all righteousness, you perverter of the right ways of the Lord! And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and will not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about, seeking people to lead him by the hand. | Acts 13:8-11 (Magician opposing truth) |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." | John 14:6 (Jesus as the true way) |
| 1 Corinthians 8:4 | ...there is no other God but one. | 1 Corinthians 8:4 (Oneness of God) |
| Mark 12:17 | Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." | Mark 12:17 (Distinction between earthly and divine authority) |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. | Acts 1:8 (True source of power) |
| Luke 4:14 | Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report of him went through all the surrounding country. | Luke 4:14 (Jesus' ministry in the power of the Spirit) |
| 1 Corinthians 2:5 | so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. | 1 Corinthians 2:5 (Faith in God's power) |
| Matthew 11:19 | The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds." | Matthew 11:19 (Wisdom demonstrated by actions) |
| Philippians 2:5-11 | Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | Philippians 2:5-11 (Christ's humility and exaltation) |
Acts 8 verses
Acts 8 10 Meaning
The people of Samaria, influenced by the sorcerer Simon, considered him to be "the power of God that is called Great." This demonstrates their deep spiritual confusion and susceptibility to deceptive spiritual displays. They attributed divine power to human manipulation, revealing a distorted understanding of God's true nature and work.
Acts 8 10 Context
In this passage, Luke describes the ministry of Philip in Samaria. The Samaritans, a people often viewed with suspicion by Jews, had been receptive to Philip's preaching of the Gospel and experienced significant spiritual breakthroughs, including healings and conversions. Simon, a local sorcerer, had long captivated the Samaritan populace with his magical practices, leading them to believe he possessed extraordinary, divine power. His influence was so pervasive that they attributed his abilities to "the Great Power of God." This verse highlights the spiritual milieu of Samaria before Philip's arrival and the formidable challenge he faced in redirecting people's awe from human sorcery to divine truth.
Acts 8 10 Word Analysis
Ὃς (Hos) - "Who" or "which." This is a relative pronoun introducing a description of Simon.
ἣν (ēn) - "Was." This imperfect tense verb indicates a continuous state or action in the past.
λέγομεν (legomen) - "We say" or "we speak." In this context, it signifies their ongoing declaration and belief.
πᾶσιν (pasin) - "To all." This refers to every person within the Samaritan community.
ἀπὸ (apo) - "From." It indicates the range of people influenced, from the lowest to the highest in social standing.
μικροῦ (mikrou) - "Small" or "little." Refers to those of lower status or importance.
ἕως (heōs) - "Until" or "even to." Continues the scope of people affected.
μεγάλου (megalou) - "Great" or "large." Refers to those of higher status or importance.
προσέχειν (prosechein) - "To give attention to," "to pay heed," "to apply oneself to." It signifies active engagement and belief.
ἔλεγον (elegon) - "They said." Another imperfect tense verb indicating a habitual or continuous speech.
Αὕτη (Hautē) - "This." Refers to Simon himself.
ἐστὶν (estin) - "Is." Present tense verb.
ἡ (hē) - "The." Definite article.
δύναμις (dynamis) - "Power," "strength," "might." In its common biblical usage, this term is often associated with God's supernatural ability. Here, it's misattributed.
τοῦ (tou) - "Of the." Genitive definite article.
θεοῦ (theou) - "God." The divine Being.
ἡ (hē) - "The." Definite article.
καλουμένη (kalouménē) - "Called" or "named." A participle indicating how Simon was referred to.
μεγάλη (megálē) - "Great." Adjective describing the power.
Grouped analysis: "This man is the Great Power of God": The phrase "ἡ δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ καλουμένη μεγάλη" (hē dynamis tou theou hē kalouménē megálē) is a powerful statement of religious idolatry. They are not saying Simon has God's power, but that Simon is the very power of God, a personification of divine might. This elevates a mere human sorcerer to the level of God Himself, a significant theological distortion and a clear parallel to pagan polytheism where human leaders or even abstract concepts could be deified. This contrasts sharply with New Testament teaching that the true power of God is manifested in Christ and the Holy Spirit, not in human charisma or sorcery (1 Cor. 1:24, Acts 1:8).
Acts 8 10 Bonus Section
This verse serves as a critical theological counterpoint to the narrative of Jesus' ministry. While Jesus consistently pointed to His Father as the source of His power (John 5:30), and the disciples operate in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), Simon is presented as a counterfeit. The Samaritan people's awe reflects a common human tendency to be impressed by outward displays rather than inward truth, a danger still prevalent in religious contexts. Their elevation of a sorcerer to the status of God's power is a stark reminder of how easily divine attributes can be misplaced when discernment is lacking and people are drawn to sensationalism over substance. This misplaced worship underscores the pervasive influence of deception, particularly in the realm of spiritual matters, as warned against in passages like 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10.
Acts 8 10 Commentary
The people of Samaria, accustomed to Simon's magical displays, erroneously attributed the "Great Power of God" to him. This highlights their misunderstanding of the divine. True power comes from God, not from human manipulation or deceitful practices. Philip's ministry in Samaria aimed to correct this by demonstrating God's authentic power through the Gospel and the Holy Spirit, pointing people to the true source of all power, Jesus Christ.