Simon Magus
noun
Si·mon Ma·gus
ˌsī-mən-ˈmā-gəs 
: a Samaritan sorcerer converted by the apostle Philip and severely rebuked by Peter for offering money for the gifts of the Holy Spirit
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The German Lutheran reformer Philip Melanchthon told of a Faust who tried to do a Simon Magus over the rooftops of Venice, crashing to his death in a canal.
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James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
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James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Simon Magus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Simon%20Magus. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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