Acts 13:8

Acts 13:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
• New International Version (NIV)But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

Context of Acts 13:8

6When they had traveled through the entire island [of Cyprus] as far as Paphos, they found a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7who was [closely associated] with the proconsul [of the province], Sergius Paulus, an intelligent and sensible man. He called for Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ]. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is how his name is translated) opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul away from accepting the faith. 9But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit and led by Him, looked steadily at Elymas, 10and said, “You [Elymas] who are full of every [kind of] deceit, and every [kind of] fraud, you son of the devil, enemy of everything that is right and good, will you never stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord?

Acts 13:8 word by word

ἀνθίστατο δὲ αὐτοῖς Ἐλύμας ὁ μάγος, οὕτως γὰρ μεθερμηνεύεται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, ζητῶν διαστρέψαι τὸν ἀνθύπατον ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• ElymasἘλύμαςElumas · ElymasG1681
• the sorcererὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the sorcererμάγοςmagos · sageG3097
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• isμεθερμηνεύωmethermēneuō · to meanG3177
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• withstoodἀνθίστημιanthistēmi · to opposeG436
• seekingζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• to turn awayδιαστρέφωdiastrephō · to pervertG1294
• the deputyἀνθύπατοςanthupatos · proconsulG446
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102

Cross-references for Acts 13:8

• Acts 13:6When they had traveled through the entire island [of Cyprus] as far as Paphos, they found a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
• Acts 9:36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, (which translated into Greek means Dorcas). She was rich in acts of kindness and charity which she continually did.
• John 1:41He first looked for and found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means the Christ).
• Exodus 7:11Then Pharaoh called for the wise men [skilled in magic and omens] and the sorcerers [skilled in witchcraft], and they also, these magicians (soothsayer-priests) of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts and enchantments.
• 1 Kings 22:24But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah approached and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?”
• Jeremiah 28:1In the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and the fifth month, the [false] prophet Hananiah the son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon [one of the priests’ cities], spoke [without godly authority] to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying:
• Jeremiah 29:24Also you shall speak to Shemaiah of Nehelam [among the exiles in Babylon], saying,
• 2 Timothy 3:8Just as Jannes and Jambres [the court magicians of Egypt] opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, unqualified and worthless [as teachers] in regard to the faith.
• 2 Timothy 4:14Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; [but that is no concern of mine, for] the Lord will repay him according to his actions.

Commentaries on Acts 13:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8But Elymas, the sorcerer, (for so is his name by interpretation) - That is, Elymas is the interpretation of the word , or sorcerer; not of the word Bar-Jesus as some have imagined; and to support which they have been led into strange etymologies on the word -, Bar-Jesus. But how is Elymas, , the interpretation of the word , magician or sorcerer? Ans. Both names are Asiatic; but neither Hebrew nor Greek. I have already observed, in the note on Matthew 2:1…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) - Elymas the magician. Elymas is the interpretation, not of the name Bar-jesus, but of the word rendered “the sorcerer.” It is an Arabic word, and means the same as Magus. It seems that he was better known by this foreign name than by his own. Withstood them - Resisted them. He was sensible that if the influence of Saul and Barnabas should be extended over the proconsul, that he would be seen to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-13Verses 4-13 Satan is in a special manner busy with great men and men in power, to keep them from being religious, for their example will influence many. Saul is here for the first time called Paul, and never after Saul. Saul was his name as he was a Hebrew; Paul was his name as he was a citizen of Rome. Under the direct influence of the Holy Ghost, he gave Elymas his true character, but not in passion. A fulness of deceit and mischief together, make a man…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8Sergius Paulus, the proconsul (governor), was an intelligent person. He had interest in the teachings of Barnabas and Saul. But Elymas (the sorcerer’s Greco-Roman name) recognized a challenge to his power and strongly opposed the message of Barnabas and Saul.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-128-12. But Elymas--or "the wise." for so is his name by interpretation--the word is from the Arabic. withstood them--perceiving, probably, how eagerly the proconsul was drinking in the word, and fearing a dismissal. (Compare 2Ti 3:8).Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 13:8

• Cyprus
• Deputy
• Elymas
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Paphos
• Paul
• Sergius Paulus
• Sorcery
• Synagogue

In the dictionaries

• Deputy
• Light
• Lo
• Ordain
• Prophet
• Season
• Sergius Paulus
• Stock
• Acts of the Apostles
• Bar-Jesus

Commentaries on Acts 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings