Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 8, verses 5-17

⁵ by Philip the Deacon who preached, did miracles, and baptized many, among the rest Simon the sorcerer, a great seducer of the people, ¹⁴ Peter and John come to confirm and enlarge the church; where by prayer and imposition of hands giving the holy Ghost

⁵Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

⁶And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

⁸And there was great joy in that city.

⁹But 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:

¹⁰To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

¹¹And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

¹²But 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.

¹³Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

¹⁴Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

¹⁵Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

¹⁶(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

¹⁷Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

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8:5 Stephen - Being taken away, Philip, his next colleague, (not the apostle,) rises in his place.

8:9 A certain man - using magic - So there was such a thing as witchcraft once! In Asia at least, if not in Europe or America.

8:12 But when they believed - What Philip preached, then they saw and felt the real power of God, and submitted thereto.

8:13 And Simon believed - That is, was convinced of the truth.

8:14 And the apostles hearing that Samaria - The inhabitants of that country, had received the word of God - By faith, sent Peter and John - He that sends must be either superior, or at least equal, to him that is sent. It follows that the college of the apostles was equal if not superior to Peter.

8:15 The Holy Ghost - In his miraculous gifts? Or his sanctifying graces? Probably in both.

Topics:

Occultism, Magic, Sorcery, Witchcraft

John, Chapter 6, verses 27-33

²⁶ reproveth the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word, ³² declareth himself to be the Bread of life to believers

²⁷Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

²⁸Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

²⁹Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

³⁰They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

³¹Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

³²Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

³³For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Read more:John, Chapter 6

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6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth - For bodily food: not for that only not chiefly: not at all, but in subordination to grace, faith, love, the meat which endureth to everlasting life.Labour, work for this; for everlasting life. So our Lord expressly commands, work for life, as well as from life: from a principle of faith and love. Him hath the Father sealed - By this very miracle, as well as by his whole testimony concerning him.See Joh 3:33.Sealing is a mark of the authenticity of a writing.

6:28 The works of God - Works pleasing to God.

6:29 This is the work of God - The work most pleasing to God, and the foundation of all others: that ye believe - He expresses it first properly, afterward figuratively.

6:30 What sign dost thou? - Amazing, after what they had just seen!

6:31 Our fathers ate manna - This sign Moses gave them. He gave them bread from heaven - From the lower sublunary heaven; to which Jesus opposes the highest heaven: in which sense he says seven times, Joh 6:32-33, Joh 6:38, Joh 6:50, Joh 6:58, Joh 6:62, that he himself came down from heaven.

6:32 Moses gave you not bread from heaven - It was not Moses who gave the manna to your fathers; but my Father who now giveth the true bread from heaven. Psa 78:24.

6:33 He that - giveth life to the world - Not (like the manna) to one people only: and that from generation to generation. Our Lord does not yet say, I am that bread; else the Jews would not have given him so respectful an answer, Joh 6:34.


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Orthodox readings for 28 April 2026

Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 8, verses 5-17

John, Chapter 6, verses 27-33