Simon Magus

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Simon Magus is a 1st-century Samaritan religious figure often portrayed in early Christian and Gnostic traditions as a magician and heretic who opposed the apostles and inspired later Gnostic thought.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Gnostic figure
New Testament person
Samaritan religious figure
heretic
magician
activityLocation Samaria NERFINISHED
appearsIn Acts 8:9–24
associatedConcept simony
associatedWith Gnosticism NERFINISHED
Helena (his consort in later traditions) NERFINISHED
heresy
magic
proto-Gnostic teachings
sorcery
baptizedBy Philip the Evangelist NERFINISHED
calledBy “the Great Power of God”
condemnedBy Hippolytus of Rome NERFINISHED
Irenaeus of Lyons NERFINISHED
Justin Martyr NERFINISHED
convertedBy Philip the Evangelist NERFINISHED
describedAs “a man who had previously practiced magic in the city”
“saying that he himself was somebody great”
ethnicOrigin Samaritan
flourishedInCentury 1st century
influenced later Gnostic thought
knownFor attempting to buy spiritual power
opposing the apostles
practicing magic in Samaria
languageContext Greek-speaking early Christian world
laterOpposed Peter the Apostle NERFINISHED
mentionedIn Acts of the Apostles
namedAfter Simon Magus NERFINISHED
offeredMoneyTo John the Apostle NERFINISHED
Peter the Apostle NERFINISHED
portrayedAs arch-heretic in early Christian literature
portrayedIn Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies NERFINISHED
Irenaeus, Against Heresies NERFINISHED
Justin Martyr, First Apology NERFINISHED
Pseudo-Clementine literature NERFINISHED
rebukedBy Peter the Apostle NERFINISHED
region Roman province of Syria Palaestina NERFINISHED
religiousContext Second Temple Judaism NERFINISHED
early Christianity
reputationAmong people of Samaria
roleInTradition founder of a school of heresy
opponent of apostolic Christianity
soughtToBuy power of the Holy Spirit
timePeriod Apostolic Age NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Gnosticism hasKeyFigure Simon Magus