Moffatt(i)
5 Philip travelled down to a town in Samaria, where he preached Christ to the people.
6 And the crowds attended like one man to what was said by Philip, listening to him and watching the miracles he performed.
7 For unclean spirits came screaming and shrieking out of many who had been possessed, and many paralytics and lame people were healed.
8 So there was great rejoicing in that town.
9 Now for some time previous a man called Simon had been practising magic arts in the town, to the utter astonishment of the Samaritan nation; he made himself out to be a great person,
10 and all sorts and conditions of people attached themselves to him, declaring he was that Power of God which is known as 'the Great Power.'
11 They attached themselves to him because he had dazzled them with his skill in magic for a considerable time.
12 But when they believed Philip, who preached the gospel of the Reign of God and the name of Jesus, they had themselves baptized, both men and women;
13 indeed Simon himself believed, and after his baptism kept close to Philip, utterly astonished to see the signs and striking miracles which were taking place.
14 When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they despatched Peter and John,
15 who came down and prayed that the Samaritans might receive the holy Spirit.
16 (As yet it had not fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the holy Spirit.
18 Now Simon noticed that the holy Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles' hands; so he brought them money,
19 saying, "Let me share this power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the holy Spirit."
20 Peter said to him, "Death to you and your money, for dreaming you could buy the gift of God!
21 You come in for no share or lot in this religion. Your heart is all wrong in the sight of God.
22 So repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask God whether you cannot be forgiven for your heart's purpose.
23 For I see you are a bitter poison and a pack of evil."
24 Simon replied, "Beseech the Lord for me! Pray that nothing you have said may befall me!"
25 After bearing their testimony to the word of the Lord and preaching it, the apostles went back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to a number of the Samaritan villages;