“Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit - the 'laying on of hands' (epitithēmi tas cheiras) by the apostles is the mediating act through which the Spirit is given. The 'received the Holy Spirit' (elabonto pneuma hagion) is the result. The apostolic touch is the vector of Spirit transmission, establishing a channel of authority and grace. This foreshadows the role of apostolic succession in later church theology.
Church Fathers on Acts 8:17
Giving out, it says, that he was himself some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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