God’s Word Translation
Acts 13:8
8Elymas, whose name means astrologer, opposed them and tried to distort the meaning of the faith so that the governor wouldn’t believe.
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
6They went through the whole island as far as the city of Paphos. In Paphos they met a Jewish man named Barjesus. He was an astrologer who claimed to be a prophet. 7He was associated with an intelligent man, Sergius Paulus, who was the governor of the island. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear God’s word. Elymas, whose name means astrologer, opposed them and tried to distort the meaning of the faith so that the governor wouldn’t believe. 9But Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He stared at Elymas 10and said, “You are full of dirty tricks and schemes, you son of the devil! You hate everything that has God’s approval. Quit trying to distort the truth about the way the Lord wants people to live.
Read all of Acts 13Acts 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 13:6They went through the whole island as far as the city of Paphos. In Paphos they met a Jewish man named Barjesus. He was an astrologer who claimed to be a prophet.
- Acts 9:36A disciple named Tabitha lived in the city of Joppa. Her Greek name was Dorcas. She always helped people and gave things to the poor.
- John 1:41Andrew at once found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).
- Exodus 7:11Then Pharaoh sent for his wise men and sorcerers. These Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells.
- 1 Kings 22:24Then Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, went to Micaiah and struck him on the cheek. “How did the Lord’s Spirit leave me to talk to you?” he asked.
- Jeremiah 28:1In that same year, early in the rule of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the fifth month of his fourth year as king, the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon, spoke to me in the Lord’s temple. He said to me in front of the priests and all the people,
- Jeremiah 29:24⌞The Lord says,⌟ “Say to Shemaiah from Nehelam,
- 2 Timothy 3:8As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and the faith they teach is counterfeit.
- 2 Timothy 4:14Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will pay him back for what he did.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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