Simon the Sorcerer

¹⁴When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶because the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them — they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹saying, "Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit." ²⁰But Peter said to him, "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could purchase the gift of God with money!" ²¹"You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God." ²²"Repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to God — perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you." ²³"For I can see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of sin." ²⁴Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, so that none of what you have said will come upon me." ²⁵After they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the good news in many villages of the Samaritans.