Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
And Simon also himself believed (o de Simwn kai autov episteusen). Note the same verb in the aorist tense episteusen. What did he believe? Evidently that Jesus was this "power of God" not himself (Simon). He saw that the miracles wrought by Philip in the name of Christ were genuine while he knew that his own were frauds. He wanted this power that Philip had to add to his own pretensions. "He was probably half victim of self-delusion, half conscious impostor" (Furneaux). He was determined to get this new "power," but had no sense of personal need of Jesus as Saviour for his sins. So he submitted to baptism (baptisqeiv, first aorist passive participle of baptizw), clear proof that baptism does not convey salvation.
He continued with Philip (hn proskarterwn tw Filippw). Periphrastic imperfect of the verb proskarterew (see on Acts 2:46). He stuck to Philip (dative case) to find out the secret of his power.
Beholding (qewrwn). Watching the signs and miracles (powers, dunameiv that threw his "power" in the shade) as they were wrought (ginomenav, present middle participle of ginomai). The more he watched the more the wonder grew (ecistato). He had "amazed" (verse Acts 8:9) the people by his tricks and he was himself more "amazed" than they by Philip's deeds.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 8:13:
John 2:24
Acts 8:11
Acts 13:12
Romans 13:6
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