The interpretation timeline

Acts 8:18

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

From the early Church Fathers to now.

Acts 8:18 · Douay-Rheims
“And when Simon saw, that by the imposition of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,”
Patristic before A.D. 750
220
A.D.
Tertullian Patristic
c. A.D. 150–220
“There is the (infamous) Simon of Samaria in the Acts of the Apostles, who chaffered for the Holy Ghost: after his condemnation by Him, and a vain remorse that he and his money must perish together, he applied his energies to the destruction of the truth, as if to console himself with revenge.”
187 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
407
A.D.
John Chrysostom Patristic
A.D. 347–407
“"And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." He would not have said, "And having seen," unless there had been some sensible manifestation. "Then laid they their hands on them," etc. Just as Paul also did, when they spake with tongues. Observe the execrable conduct of Simon. "He offered money," with what object? And yet he did not see Peter doing this for money. And it was not of ignorance that he acted thus; it was because he would tempt them, because he wished to get matter of accusation against them.”
Source
407
A.D.
John Chrysostom Patristic
A.D. 347–407
“It was a twofold sign: both the giving to those, and the not giving to this man. Whereas then this man ought, on the contrary, to have asked to receive the Holy Ghost, he, because he cared not for this, asks power to give It to others. And yet those received not this power to give: but this man wished to be more illustrious than Philip, he being among the disciples! "He offered them money." What? had he seen the others doing this? had he seen Philip? Did he imagine they did not know with what mind he came to them?”
Source
543
A.D.
Arator Patristic
d. A.D. 543
“Simon the magician had been here washed indeed in the fount but not clean in his heart; the subsequent punishment revealed him to the world as ignorant of the faith. He wished to liken the gifts of God to the gathering together of gold and to bring back by means of coin what a merchant buys at a price.”
Undated date unknown
Oecumenius Patristic
c. A.D. 550
“One can recognize that in the bestowal of the Holy Spirit something perceptible and remarkable took place. For Simon would not have approached otherwise, had he not seen this. How, then, without seeing the apostles doing this with money, did he dare to offer money? It was not ignorance, but a temptation. Therefore Peter also, showing "Your heart is not right," (Acts 8:21) indicates that even what had been formed in his mind did not escape him. See moreover the shamelessness of Simon. For he ought to have asked to receive the Holy Spirit, since he did not care for this himself, but in order that he might give it to others he asked. For he also wished to be more illustrious than Philip. For Philip, being one of the seven and a deacon, did not have authority by his laying on of hands to give the Holy Spirit. That this is true, and that he did not receive the Spirit of miracles, see how he says that, seeing powers and signs being done, he was amazed, and came up asking for this. [CHRYSOSTOM]”
Source
Oecumenius Patristic
c. A.D. 550
“This wicked man Simon, offering the money not out of faith that this would come to him, but so that this might be a source of gain and an occasion for acquiring money, he came up, therefore, having received such favor, to become wealthy through signs, performing acts by demons according to his former delusion, that is, testing the apostles, he did this, wishing to cast an accusation. Therefore he hears: "You have neither part nor portion in this matter; for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore, if indeed that you may be forgiven of your sin." (Acts 8:20-21) For Peter foreknew that he would not turn to repentance. Therefore he says, "that you may be forgiven of your sin." For the phrase "Pray for you" (Acts 8:22) did not imply repentance and return, but only because of devotion he said this; since where are the tears and the confession? This indicates that the matter is hard to achieve and requires great repentance of those who sin against the divine gift itself, into which Simon likewise erred, submitting silver in regard to the operations of the Holy Spirit.”
Source
Pseudo-Clement Patristic
c. A.D. 400
“But Simon hearing this, and being smitten by his conscience, changed color and became bloodless; for he was afraid, if he denied it, that his house would be searched, or that Peter in his indignation would betray him more openly, and so all would learn what he was. Thus he answered: "I beseech you, Peter, by that good God who is in you, to overcome the wickedness that is in me. Receive me to repentance, and you shall have me as an assistant in your preaching. For now I have learned in very deed that you are a prophet of the true God, and therefore you alone know the secret and hidden things of men." Then said Peter: "You see, brethren, Simon seeking repentance; in a little while you shall see him returning again to his infidelity. For, thinking that I am a prophet, forasmuch as I have disclosed his wickedness, which he supposed to be secret and hidden, he has promised that he will repent. But it is not lawful for me to lie, nor must I deceive, whether this infidel be saved or not saved. For I call heaven and earth to witness, that I spoke not by a prophetic spirit what I said, and what I intimated, as far as was possible, to the listening crowds; but I learned from some who once were his associates in his works, but have now been converted to our faith, what things he did in secret. Therefore I spoke what I knew, not what I foreknew." But when Simon heard this, he assailed Peter with curses and reproaches, saying: "Oh most wicked and most deceitful of men, to whom fortune, not truth, hath given the victory. But I sought repentance not for defect of knowledge, but in order that you, thinking that by repentance I should become your disciple, might entrust to me all the secrets of your profession, and so at length, knowing them all, I might confute you. But as you cunningly understood for what reason I had pretended penitence, and acquiesced as if you did not understand my stratagem, that you might first expose me in presence of the people as unskilful, then foreseeing that being thus exposed to the people, I must of necessity be indignant, and confess that I was not truly penitent, you anticipated me, that you might say, that I should, after my penitence, again return to my infidelity, that you might seem to have conquered on all sides, both if I continued in the penitence which I had professed, and if I did not continue; and so you should be believed to be wise, because you had foreseen these things, while I should seem to be deceived, because I did not foresee your trick. But you foreseeing mine, have used subtlety and circumvented me. But, as I said, your victory is the result of fortune, not of truth: yet I know why I did not foresee this; because I stood by you and spoke with you in my goodness, and bore patiently with you. But now I shall show you the power of my divinity, so that you shall quickly fall down and worship me."”
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.