John Chrysostom, on Acts 8:22

“Do penance therefore for this thy wickedness; and pray to God, that perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.”

“For had it been done with simplicity, he would have even welcomed his willing mind. Seest thou that to have mean conceptions of great things is to sin doubly? Accordingly, two things he bids him: "Repent and pray, if haply the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." Seest thou it was a wicked thought he had entertained? Therefore he says, "If haply it may be forgiven thee": because he knew him to be incorrigible. "For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." Words of exceeding wrath!”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.