Acts 8:20 kjv
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Acts 8:20 nkjv
But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
Acts 8:20 niv
Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
Acts 8:20 esv
But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
Acts 8:20 nlt
But Peter replied, "May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God's gift can be bought!
Acts 8 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 8:20 | But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. | Direct statement |
| Genesis 1:1 | In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. | God's ultimate power |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. | God's gift of salvation |
| Acts 2:38 | Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. | Gift of the Holy Spirit |
| Romans 11:29 | For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. | God's unchanging gifts |
| 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 | Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ...But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. | Sovereign distribution of gifts |
| Ephesians 2:8 | For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: | Salvation is a gift |
| 1 Peter 4:10 | As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. | Stewardship of gifts |
| 2 Peter 1:3 | According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. | Divine power is the source |
| John 1:12 | But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: | Belief brings a gift |
| Matthew 10:8 | Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. | Freely give what is received |
| 1 Timothy 6:10 | For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. | Danger of loving money |
| Revelation 21:4 | And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. | No sin or corruptibility in heaven |
| 2 Corinthians 5:19 | To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. | God's reconciliation |
| Romans 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. | Gift of eternal life |
| Galatians 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. | Fruit of the Spirit |
| Hebrews 12:28 | Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: | Unmovable Kingdom |
| John 6:44 | No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. | Divine drawing to God |
| Philippians 1:29 | For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. | Gift of believing & suffering |
| Acts 1:5 | For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. | Baptism of the Holy Ghost |
Acts 8 verses
Acts 8 20 Meaning
Peter is declaring that the Holy Spirit cannot be bought or sold. This divine power and gift is sovereignly given by God. The ability to bestow the Holy Spirit is not a human transaction but a divine prerogative.
Acts 8 20 Context
This verse is found in the eighth chapter of the book of Acts, which details the spread of Christianity beyond Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Stephen. Philip, one of the seven deacons, had gone to Samaria and was experiencing great success in preaching the Gospel, with many people believing and being baptized.
Simon Magus, a sorcerer who had previously impressed the Samaritans with his magic, also believed and was baptized. However, he then observed that the apostles, Peter and John, had the ability to impart the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. Driven by his covetousness and desire for power, Simon offered Peter money, hoping to buy this ability. Peter's strong rebuke in verse 20 directly addresses Simon's misguided intention, revealing a crucial theological point about the nature of spiritual gifts.
Acts 8 20 Word Analysis
- But: Conjunction showing a contrast to Simon's offer.
- Peter: The apostle.
- said: Spoke directly.
- unto him: Addressed Simon Magus.
- Thy: Your.
- money: Refers to the money Simon offered.
- perish: To be destroyed, ruined, or lost. This indicates that Simon's wealth will be useless and ultimately condemned because of its association with his spiritual misjudgment. It implies the ruin of the money in terms of its value to Simon in his current pursuit.
- with thee: Alongside you, implying a shared fate of worthlessness.
- because: Introduces the reason for the judgment.
- thou: You (Simon).
- hast thought: You have considered or intended. This highlights Simon's mindset.
- that: Introduces the object of Simon's thought.
- the gift: Refers to the Holy Spirit being imparted. This emphasizes that the Spirit is a divine bestowal, not a commodity. In Greek, "dorea" (δωρεᾷ), meaning gift or donation.
- of God: Originating from God, signifying its sacred and non-negotiable source.
- may be purchased: Can be bought, acquired by payment. The Greek word is "agorazō" (ἀγορασθῇ), meaning to buy in a market. It evokes the idea of a commercial transaction, which is diametrically opposed to spiritual realities.
- with money: Through the medium of financial payment.
Word Group Analysis
- Thy money perish with thee: This is a powerful denunciation of Simon's materialistic view of spiritual power. Peter is not saying Simon's money will literally disintegrate, but rather that it will be utterly worthless and spiritually ruinous for him, leading to his eventual judgment or condemnation, which includes his material possessions. It is a dire warning that his wealth cannot buy favor with God or spiritual authority.
Acts 8 20 Bonus Section
This incident marks the origin of the term "simony," which refers to the sin of buying or selling ecclesiastical preferment or spiritual gifts. Peter’s confrontation highlights the danger of a heart motivated by greed, even when associated with outward expressions of faith. It serves as a timeless warning against equating material wealth or worldly success with spiritual authenticity or favor. The distinction between "receiving" a gift from God (Acts 8:18) and attempting to "purchase" it is fundamental to understanding true Christian discipleship.
Acts 8 20 Commentary
Peter's statement to Simon Magus is a foundational teaching on the nature of God's spiritual gifts. It clearly establishes that the bestowal of the Holy Spirit, and indeed all divine blessings, are sovereign acts of God, given by grace and received by faith, not purchased by money or merit. Simon's error was seeing spiritual power as something tangible and obtainable through wealth, mirroring his past in sorcery. Peter’s sharp rebuke ("Your money perish with you!") underscores the severe offense of attempting to commercialize the sacred. This moment contrasts true spiritual endowment, which flows from God's will and is received through repentance and faith (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12), with the false pursuit of spiritual power through worldly means. The disciples, as conduits through the laying on of hands, were acting as instruments of God's grace, not possessors of a power they could sell. This principle echoes throughout Scripture: spiritual gifts are free (Matthew 10:8) and demonstrate the unchanging nature of God's gifting (Romans 11:29).