Acts 8:13

And Simon also himself believed (Ho de Simwn kai auto episteusen). Note the same verb in the aorist tense episteusen. What did he believe? Evidently that Jesus was this "power of God" not himself (Simon). He saw that the miracles wrought by Philip in the name of Christ were genuine while he knew that his own were frauds. He wanted this power that Philip had to add to his own pretensions. "He was probably half victim of self-delusion, half conscious impostor" (Furneaux). He was determined to get this new "power," but had no sense of personal need of Jesus as Saviour for his sins. So he submitted to baptism (baptisqei, first aorist passive participle of baptizw), clear proof that baptism does not convey salvation. He continued with Philip (hn proskarterwn twi Pilippwi). Periphrastic imperfect of the verb proskarterew (see on Matthew 2:46 ). He stuck to Philip (dative case) to find out the secret of his power. Beholding (qewrwn). Watching the signs and miracles (powers, dunamei that threw his "power" in the shade) as they were wrought (ginomena, present middle participle of ginomai). The more he watched the more the wonder grew (existato). He had "amazed" (verse Matthew 9 ) the people by his tricks and he was himself more "amazed" than they by Philip's deeds.