Acts 8:11

11 They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.

Acts 8:11 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 8:11

To him they had regard
Which is repeated from the foregoing verse, for the sake of what follows:

because that of a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries;
or because he had, it may be for many years, astonished them with his magic arts, and the pranks he played in the use of them.

Acts 8:11 In-Context

9 Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,

10 and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”

11 They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.

12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13 Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.