Simon Magus and Simon Peter
K. Gerok. Acts 8:9-24 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria… I. SIMON THE UPRIGHT. 1. As a zealous servant of his Lord whom he serves everywhere with joy, in Samaria as in Jerusalem. 2. As an earnest admonisher of sins, which he reproves with holy zeal. 3. As a faithful guide to the way of salvation by repentance and prayer, which he knew from his own experience. II. SIMON THE IMPURE. 1. In the lying nature of his heathen magic. 2. In the hypocrisy of his deceitful Christianity. 3. In the defective nature of his superficial repentance. (K. Gerok.) Parallel Verses KJV: But 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: WEB: But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,