Acts 8:24

Δεήθητε : the verse is often taken (as by Meyer and others) as a further proof of the hollowness of Simon's belief, and his ignorance of the way of true repentance he will not pray for himself, and he only asks for deliverance from fear of the penalty and not from hatred of the sin (so Bengel). But on the other hand Wendt, in criticising Meyer, objects to this further condemnation of Simon as not expressed in the text. So far as the petition for the Apostles' prayers is concerned, it is of course possible that it may have been prompted by the belief that such prayers would be more efficacious than his own (so Blass, Wendt, see also conclusion of the story in); he does not ask them to pray instead of himself but ὑπέρ, on his behalf. ἐπέλθῃ : not used by the other Evangelists, but three times in St. Luke's Gospel and four times in Acts, with ἐπί and accusative both in Gospel (Luke 1:35. cf. Luke 21:35) and Acts.