Acts 13:11
in Acts 13Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
KJV
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
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This verse in Acts 13
Commentary
18 notes on this verseBe reasonable now. What happened to the magician through the intervention of the apostle is not contrary to the divine commandment that commands us to love our enemies. But since that man distorted the ways of preaching and drove the proconsul away from the faith …
This site's exposition
who was also called Paul
on Acts 13:9-11
Then Saul, who was also called Paul, looked directly at Elymas, and from here Luke uses the Roman name. The man who tried to darken the proconsul's sight was struck with mist and darkness and groped about for a hand to lead him.
This site's exposition
for a time you will be blind
The blindness is set for a time, and Chrysostom took the limit as room for the man to repent. Paul had himself been led by the hand into Damascus at 9:8. He now pronounces the judgment he once received.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee." It was not vengeance then, but healing: for it is as though he said: "It is not I that do it, but the hand of God." Mark how unassuming! No "light," as in the case of Paul, "shone round about him." "Thou shalt be blind," he says, "not seeing the sun for a season," that he may give him opportunity for repentance: for we nowhere find them wishing to be made conspicuous by the more stern (exercise of their authority), even though it was against enemies that this was put forth: in respect of those of their own body (they used severity), and with good reason, but in dealing with those without, not so; that (the obedience of faith) might not seem to be matter of compulsion and fear. It is a proof of his blindness, his "seeking some to lead him by the hand."
He first convicted the sorcerer (and showed), what he was; and that he was such, the sign showed: "thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun" this was a sign of the blindness of his soul: "for a season": he says, to bring him to repentance.
"And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind." It was the sign by which he was himself converted, and by this he would fain convert this man. As also that expression, "for a season," puts it not as an act of punishing, but as meant for his conversion: had it been for punishment, he would have made him lastingly blind, but now it is not so, but "for a season" (and this), that he may gain the proconsul. For, as he was prepossessed by the sorcery, it was well to teach him a lesson by this infliction (and the sorcerer also), in the same way as the magicians (in Egypt) were taught by the boils. "And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness: and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand."
For the phrase "for a time," giving a limit to the sentence, means that the way in which he received the light is to be altered for the better; for he who had been led to the worse was now to be brought to this …
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Turning here and there, he sought a guide." This is proof of his blindness. It was necessary through precisely such a punishment to bring to his senses the one who had previously been carried away by magic. In this way, punishments served, as it were, …
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
It is not with us, says Paul, that you wage war and fight, but you turn people away "from the straight paths of the Lord. And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you: you shall be blind and not see the sun …
Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind. The Apostle, mindful of his own example, knew that it was possible to rise from the darkness of the eyes of the mind to light. For he did not deserve to …
And immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him. The name of darkness in Greek is placed in the singular number σκότος, which the Latin interpreter did not follow, because this name does not have a singular number in Latin as we have similarly taught …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee,....
The heads of a sermon which Paul preached to the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia, in their synagogue, which is given us as a specimen of what they usually preached to the Jews, and the method they took with them,
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The hand of the Lord is upon thee - God shall punish thee. By this sudden and miraculous punishment he would be awed and humbled, and the proconsul and others would be convinced that he was an impostor, and that the gospel was true. His wickedness deserved such punishment; and at the same time that due punishment was inflicted, it was designed that the gospel should be extended by this means. In all this there was the highest evidence that Paul was under the inspiration of God.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind for a season--the judgment being mercifully designed to lead him to repentance. The tradition that it did is hardly to be depended on. there fell on him a mist, &c.--This is in Luke's medical style.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The hand of the Lord is upon thee - The power of God is now about to deal with thee in the way of justice. Thou shalt be blind - Every word here proves the immediate inspiration of Paul. He was full of the Holy Ghost when he began this address: by the light of that Spirit he discerned the state of Elymas, and exposed his real character; and, by the prophetic influence of that same Spirit, he predicted the calamity that was about to fall upon him, while as yet there was no sign of his blindness! Mark this! Not seeing the sun for a season - In the midst of judgment God remembers mercy. This blindness was not to be perpetual: it was intended to be the means of awakening and softening the hard heart of this poor sinner. There is an ancient tradition, and it is mentioned both by Origen and Chrysostom, that Elymas, in consequence of this became a sincere convert to the religion of Christ. Origen says: “And Paul by a word striking him blind, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paul, δια των πονων επιϚρεφει αυτον εις θεοσεβειαν, by anguish converted him to godliness.” And, commenting on - Thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun, αχρι καιρου, for a season, asks, “And why for a season? That, being smitten on account of his transgressions, and brought to repentance, he might at last be deemed worthy to see the sun, not only with his body, but with his mind; that the Divine virtue might be proclaimed in restoring him to sight, and his soul, believing, might receive godliness.” Com. in Exod., vol. i. p. 117, edit. de la Rue, Par. 1733. There fell on him a mist and darkness - Αχλυς, achlus, is a disordered state of the eye, in which the patient sees through a thick mist. This thick mist, or perturbed state of the eye, took place first: it increased, and σκοτος, thick, positive darkness, was the issue. He went about - Πεπιαγων. […]
The words behind it
28 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| νῦν | nun | now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| χεὶρ | cheir | [the] hand | G5495 → | 175 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | of the Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | [is] upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| σέ, | se | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔσῃ | ese | you will be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τυφλὸς | tuphlos | blind | G5185 → | |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| βλέπων | blepon | seeing | G991 → | 132 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἥλιον | helion | sun | G2246 → | 32 times |
| ἄχρι | achri | during | G891 → | 48 times |
| καιροῦ. | kairou | a season. | G2540 → | 84 times |
| παραχρῆμά | parachrema | Immediately | G3916 → | 18 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| ἔπεσεν | epesen | descended | G4098 → | 90 times |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀχλὺς | achlus | mist | G887 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σκότος, | skotos | darkness, | G4655 → | 31 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| περιάγων | periagon | going about | G4013 → | |
| ἐζήτει | ezetei | he was seeking | G2212 → | 117 times |
| χειραγωγούς. | cheiragogous | one to lead by hand. | G5497 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
νῦνnow
nunG3568 →145 times
ἰδοὺbehold
idouG2400 →200 times
χεὶρ[the] hand
cheirG5495 →175 times
κυρίουof the Lord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
ἐπὶ[is] upon
epiG1909 →883 times
σέ,you,
seG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔσῃyou will be
eseG1510 →2333 times
τυφλὸςblind
tuphlosG5185 →
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
βλέπωνseeing
bleponG991 →132 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἥλιονsun
helionG2246 →32 times
ἄχριduring
achriG891 →48 times
καιροῦ.a season.
kairouG2540 →84 times
παραχρῆμάImmediately
parachremaG3916 →18 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
ἔπεσενdescended
epesenG4098 →90 times
ἐπ᾽upon
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἀχλὺςmist
achlusG887 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σκότος,darkness,
skotosG4655 →31 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
περιάγωνgoing about
periagonG4013 →
ἐζήτειhe was seeking
ezeteiG2212 →117 times
χειραγωγούς.one to lead by hand.
cheiragogousG5497 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 10:31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
it leads to
- Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Luke 12:5
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!
- Hebrews 12:29
“For our God is a consuming fire.”
- Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling grips the ungodly: “Who of us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting flames?”
- Psalms 76:7
You alone are to be feared. When You are angry, who can stand before You?
- Matthew 10:28
Through
John 9:39Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”
it leads to
- John 3:19
And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil.
- Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified…
- John 12:46
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- John 3:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
About Acts
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Bede, Retractions on Acts; Isidore of Pelusium, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 13.10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 28; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.