The main verb in this sentence (literally, “to be for some while”) has two participles dependent upon it, “practicing magic” and “astounding.” The meaning is that Simon had been in the city for some time and all the while had been practicing magic and astounding the people. The rendering “who had previously practiced magic” (Revised Standard Version) might suggest that at the time that Philip came to Samaria Simon was no longer practicing magic, but the force of the Greek indicates that Simon had been doing this for a long time and was still doing it at the time of Philip’s arrival in the city. The Greek literally says “the nation of the Samaritans” (see Revised Standard Version), but the meaning of the expression is simply “the Samaritan people,” that is, the Samaritans (see New English Bible, Phillips, Jerusalem Bible). He claimed that he was someone great is very similar to what was said of Theudas in 5.36.

The Greek term translated “practicing magic” is a technical expression relating to the use of sorcery. It is not a term for “performing miracles.” Since magic in one form or another, whether “white” (beneficial) or “black” (harmful), is of common occurrence in most cultures, there is usually no difficulty in finding some closely corresponding terms.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .