The interpretation timeline

Acts 8:16

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

Acts 8:16 · Douay-Rheims
“For he was not as yet come upon any of them; but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
254
A.D.
Origen Patristic
c. A.D. 184–253
“From all of which we learn that the person of the Holy Spirit is of so great authority and dignity that saving baptism is not complete except when performed with the authority of the whole most excellent Trinity, that is, by the naming of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
176 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
430
A.D.
Augustine of Hippo Patristic
A.D. 354–430
“For the Holy Spirit was at that time given in such sort, that he even visibly showed himself to have been given. For those who received him spoke with the tongues of all nations, to signify that the church among the nations was to speak in the tongues of all. So then they received the Holy Ghost, and he appeared evidently to be in them.”
Source
Undated date unknown
Oecumenius Patristic
c. A.D. 550
“It is obvious that those baptized by Philip in Samaria had not received the Holy Spirit, because they did not have such a gift; since he, as we said, was one of the seven. For these men received power to do miracles, but not to give the Spirit to others; for this was the special privilege of the apostles. Moreover, Philip did not confer the Spirit upon those baptized by him, either out of respect to the apostles. For not that he was worthless and unworthy (although he himself is recorded as having done miracles in healing diseases and casting out demons), but because he did not wish this gift to be present to them, as they were not in a prime condition fit to receive the Spirit, wherefore also Simon, having been baptized by him, thinking in the prime of his flesh to obtain from the apostles the power by giving money, that he might give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands to whomever he wished. [AMMONIUS]”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.