Acts 13:6
in Acts 13They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus;
KJV
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar–jesus:
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This verse in Acts 13
Commentary
11 notes on this verseBoth he and that other magician, who was with Sergius Paulus, (since he began opposing himself to the same apostles) was mulcted with loss of eyes. The same fate, I believe, would astrologers, too, have met, if any had fallen in the way of the apostles.
This site's exposition
found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew
on Acts 13:6-8
Working through the isle to Paphos, the missionaries meet a very different kind of religious figure, found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew attached to the court of Sergius Paulus, the Roman deputy of Cyprus, a title an inscription found on the island confirms was the correct one for the office at exactly this period. Sergius Paulus himself is called a prudent man who desired to hear the word of God, a Roman official open to the gospel rather than hostile to it. The sorcerer, known by the Greek name Elymas, withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith, setting magic and message against each other at the very point a ruler was ready to believe.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith." Again a Jew sorcerer, as was Simon. And observe this man, how, while they preached to the others, he did not take it much amiss, but only when they approached the proconsul. And then in respect of the proconsul the wonder is, that although prepossessed by the man's sorcery, he was nevertheless willing to hear the Apostles. So it was with the Samaritans: and from the competition the victory appears, the sorcery being worsted. Everywhere, vainglory and love of power are a (fruitful) source of evils!
Smitten were both Ananias and Elymas -Ananias with death, Elymas with blindness-in order that by this very fact it might be proved that Christ had had the power of doing even such (miracles).
The Medieval Church2 voices
Whose name was Bar-Jesus. It is incorrectly read as Barjesus, when it should be read as Bar-Jew, that is, sorcerer, or in evil. I believe that the name Jesus is written with the same letters but with a mark above. For it is not fitting …
They found a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Barjesus. In Greek it adds more: Which is interpreted as Elimas.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Those are wise people, however they may be ranked among the foolish of this world, who are inquisitive after the mind and will of God. Though he was a great man, and a man in authority, and the preachers of the gospel were men that made no figure, yet, if they have a message from God, let him know what it is, and, if it appear to be so, he is ready to receive it.
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 Century2 voices
Gone through the isle - Ὁλην, The Whole isle, is added here by ABCDE, several others, both the Syrian, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and Itala; and also by several of the Greek fathers; and this must be the true reading, for it is evident they ran through the whole island from east to west.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And when they had gone through the isle - The length of the island, according to Strabo, was 1,400 stadia, or nearly 170 miles. Unto Paphos - Paphos was a city at the western extremity of the island. It was the residence of the proconsul, and was distinguished for a splendid temple erected to Venus, who was worshipped throughout the island. Cyprus was fabled to be the place of the birth of this goddess. It had, besides Paphos and Salamis, several towns of note Citium, the birthplace of Zeno, Areathus, sacred to Venus, etc. Its present capital is Nicosia. Whether Paul preached at any of these places is not recorded. The island is formerly supposed to have had one million inhabitants. A certain sorcerer - Greek: magus, or magician. See the notes on Act 8:9. A false prophet - Pretending to be endowed with the gift of prophecy; or a man, probably, who pretended to be inspired. Bar-jesus - The word “Bar” is Syriac, and means “son.” Jesus (Joshua) was not an uncommon name among the Jews. The name was given from his father - son of Jesus, or Joshua; as Bar-Jonas, son of Jonas.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Διελθόντες | dielthontes | Having passed through | G1330 → | 43 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὅλην | holen | all | G3650 → | 109 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νῆσον | neson | island | G3520 → | 9 times |
| ἄχρι | achri | as far as | G891 → | 48 times |
| Πάφου | paphou | Paphos | G3974 → | |
| εὗρον | heuron | they found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| ἄνδρα | andra | a man — | G435 → | 216 times |
| τινὰ | tina | a certain | G5100 → | 528 times |
| μάγον | magon | magician | G3097 → | |
| ψευδοπροφήτην | pseudopropheten | a false prophet | G5578 → | |
| Ἰουδαῖον | ioudaion | Jewish — | G2453 → | 192 times |
| ᾧ | ho | whose | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ὄνομα | onoma | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| Βαριησοῦ, | bariesou | of Bar-Jesus, | G919 → |
ΔιελθόντεςHaving passed through
dielthontesG1330 →43 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὅληνall
holenG3650 →109 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
νῆσονisland
nesonG3520 →9 times
ἄχριas far as
achriG891 →48 times
ΠάφουPaphos
paphouG3974 →
εὗρονthey found
heuronG2147 →175 times
ἄνδραa man —
andraG435 →216 times
τινὰa certain
tinaG5100 →528 times
μάγονmagician
magonG3097 →
ψευδοπροφήτηνa false prophet
pseudoprophetenG5578 →
ἸουδαῖονJewish —
ioudaionG2453 →192 times
ᾧwhose
hoG3739 →1405 times
ὄνομαname
onomaG3686 →227 times
Βαριησοῦ,of Bar-Jesus,
bariesouG919 →
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
Matthew 7:15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- Matthew 24:11
and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.
- 1 John 4:1
Through
1 John 4:1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- 2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
- Proverbs 14:15
The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Bede, Retractions on Acts; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 28; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, On Idolatry; Tertullian, On Modesty and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.