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 Living Translation (NLT)But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.

Context of Acts 13:8

6Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways 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 13:6Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,
• Acts 9:36At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.
• John 1:41He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).
• Exodus 7:11But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
• 1 Kings 22:24Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak to you?”
• Jeremiah 28:1And it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
• Jeremiah 29:24You shall also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
• 2 Timothy 3:8Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
• 2 Timothy 4:14Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.

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