Now a certain man {named} Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great.

And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with [his] magic.

and many of those who practiced magic brought together [their] books [and] burned [them] up in the sight of everyone. And they counted up their value and found [it was] {fifty thousand silver coins}.