Acts 8:21
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Acts 8:21 in other translations
| BSB | You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. |
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| WEB | You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. |
| ASV | Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God. |
| YLT | thou hast neither part nor lot in this thing, for thy heart is not right before God; |
| DARBY | Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not upright before God. |
| BBE | You have no part in this business, because your heart is not right before God. |
| Webster | Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. |
What does Acts 8:21 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 8:18-24
18-24. offered them money--Hence the term simony, to denote trafficking in sacred things, but chiefly the purchase of ecclesiastical offices.
Barnes' Notes
Nor lot. This word means, properly, a portion which falls to one when an estate, or when spoil in war, is divided into portions, according to the number of those who are to be partakers, and the part of each one is determined by lot. The two words denote emphatically that he was in no sense a partaker of the favour of God.
In this matter. Greek, In this word, i.e. thing. That which is referred to here is the religion of Christ. He was not a Christian. It is remarkable that Peter judged him so soon, and when he had seen but one act of his. But it was an act which satisfied him that he was a stranger to religion. One act may sometimes bring out the whole character; it may evince the governing motives; it may show traits of character utterly inconsistent with true religion; and then it is as certain a criterion as any long series of acts.
Thy heart. Your affections, or governing motives; your principle of conduct. Comp. 2Kgs 10:15. You love gold and popularity, and not the gospel for what it is. There is no evidence here that Peter saw this in a miraculous manner, or by any supernatural influence. It was apparent and plain that Simon was not influenced by the pure, disinterested motives of the gospel, but by the love of power and of the world.
In the sight of God. That is, God sees or judges that your heart is not sincere and pure. No external profession is acceptable without the heart. Reader, is your heart right with God? Are your motives pure--and does God see there the exercise of holy, sincere, and benevolent affections towards him? God knows the motives; and with unerring certainty he will judge; and with unerring justice he will fix our doom, according to the affections of the heart.
(g) "neither part" Josh 22:25 (h) "for thy heart" Ps 78:36,37, Eze 14:3
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 8:14-25
The Holy Ghost was as yet fallen upon none of these coverts, in the extraordinary powers conveyed by the descent of the Spirit upon the day of Pentecost. We may take encouragement from this example, in praying to God to give the renewing graces of the Holy Ghost to all for whose spiritual welfare we are concerned; for that includes all blessings. No man can give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of his hands; but we…
Acts 8:21 in the original Greek
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Acts 8:21
- Hebrews 4:13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
- Matthew 6:22-24
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
- Psalms 36:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
- John 21:17
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
- Revelation 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
- 2 Chronicles 25:2
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.
- Revelation 2:23
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
- Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
- Joshua 22:25
For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the Lord: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord.
- Habakkuk 2:4
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
- Psalms 78:36-37
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
- Ezekiel 14:3
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Acts 8:20
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
- Acts 8:21
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
- Acts 8:22
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Acts 8:21 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | No tienes tú parte ni suerte en este negocio; porque tu corazón no es recto delante de Dios. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Tu n’as ni part ni portion dans cette affaire; car ton cœur n’est pas droit devant Dieu. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Du hast weder Teil noch Los an dieser Sache, denn dein Herz ist nicht aufrichtig vor Gott. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Non est tibi pars neque sors in sermone isto: cor enim tuum non est rectum coram Deo. |