Simon’s great weakness was his material-mindedness. He could not quickly change himself from a Jewish nationalist to a spiritually minded internationalist. Four years was too short a time in which to make such an intellectual and emotional transformation, but Jesus was always patient with him.
Close in meaning, found by a language model. A match does not mean the teachings are the same.
But the people of the citadel in Jerusalem were hindered from going out and from going into the country, and from buying and selling. So they were very hungry, and a great number of them perished from famine. Then they cried out to Simon, that he should give them his right hand; and he gave it to them; but he expelled them from there, and he cleansed the citadel from its pollutions. He entered into it on the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred seventy-first year, with praise and palm branches, with harps, with cymbals, and with stringed instruments, with hymns, and with songs, because a great enemy had been destroyed out of Israel. Simon ordained that they should keep that day every year with gladness. He made the hill of the temple that was by the citadel stronger than before, and he lived there with his men. Simon saw that his son John was a man, so he made him leader of all his forces; and he lived in Gazara.
The land had rest all the days of Simon. He sought the good of his nation. His authority and his honor was pleasing to them all his days. Amid all his honors, he took Joppa for a harbor, and made it an entrance for the islands of the sea. He enlarged the borders of his nation and took possession of the country. He gathered together a great number of captives, and took control of Gazara, Bethsura, and the citadel, and he removed its uncleannesses from it. There was no one who resisted him. They tilled their land in peace, and the land gave her increase, and the trees of the plains gave their fruit. The old men sat in the streets; they all conversed together about good things. The young men put on glorious and warlike apparel. He provided food for the cities and furnished them with means of defense, until the glory of his name was known to the end of the earth. He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy. Each man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was no one to make them afraid. No one was left in the land who fought against them. The kings were defeated in those days. He strengthened all those of his people who were humble. He searched out the law, and every lawless and wicked person he took away. He glorified the sanctuary, and added to the vessels of the temple.
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one, to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.” They listened to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.