Simon Magnus

Simon Magnus, also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon Magus, was a figure in the early Christian era, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. He was a Samaritan magician who amazed the people with his sorcery and claimed to be someone great. After hearing the preaching of Philip, Simon was baptized, but later revealed his true intentions when he attempted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit from the apostles Peter and John. This act of trying to purchase spiritual authority is where the term "simony" originates. Peter rebuked him harshly, denouncing his desire to manipulate divine power for personal gain.

He is also occasionally attributed as being the founder of Christian Gnosticism, though this is probably a myth.