Acts 13:7
in Acts 13an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Acts 13
Commentary
11 notes on this verseAs Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus, was the first to believe in his preaching, he took his name from him because he had subdued him to faith in Christ.
This site's exposition
They traveled through the whole island
on Acts 13:6-8
At Paphos they found a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus, an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Proconsul is the correct title for the governor of Cyprus in this period, as an inscription from the island confirms.
This site's exposition
an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus
A Roman inscription names a Lucius Sergius Paullus among the curators of the Tiber banks under Claudius. W. M. Ramsay tied the family to lands near Pisidian Antioch. That would explain why Paul headed there next.
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!
But that it is no flattery that (the writer) says, "he was with the proconsul, a prudent man," you may learn from the facts; for he needed not many discourses, and himself wished to hear them.
The Medieval Church1 voice
What is remarkable about the proconsul is that, having already been previously captivated by the sorcerer's magic, he still desired to listen to the apostles.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Which was with the deputy of the country, &c.
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,
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Which was with the deputy - Or with the proconsul. The exact accuracy of Luke in this statement is worthy of special remark. In the time when Augustus united the world under his own power, the provinces were divided into two classes. Augustus found two names which were applied to public officers in existence, one of which was henceforward inseparably blended with the imperial dignity and with military command, and the other with the authority of the senate and its civil administration.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Which was with the deputy--properly, "the proconsul." This name was reserved for the governors of settled provinces, which were placed under the Roman Senate, and is never given in the New Testament to Pilate, Felix, or Festus, who were but procurators, or subordinate administrators of unsettled, imperial, military provinces.
The deputy of the country - Ανθυπατῳ, The proconsul. Rosenmuller and others remark, that in those days the Romans sent two different kinds of governors into the provinces. Some of the provinces were Caesarean or imperial, and into those they sent propretors; others belonged to the senate and people of Rome, and into those they sent proconsuls. Cyprus had formerly been an imperial province; but Augustus, who made the distinction, had given it to the people, whence it was governed by a proconsul. See Dion Cass. Hist. Rom. lib. iv. p. 523. (Edit. Leunclav.) Sergius Paulus - This proconsul is not mentioned any where else: he became a Christian, had his name written in the book of life, and, probably on that very account, blotted out of the Fasti Consulares. A prudent man - Ανδρι συνετῳ, A man of good sense, of a sound understanding, and therefore wished to hear the doctrine taught by these apostles; he did not persecute the men for their preaching, but sent for them that he might hear for himself.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἦν | en | was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθυπάτῳ | anthupato | proconsul | G446 → | 5 times |
| Σεργίῳ | sergio | Sergius | G4588 → | |
| Παύλῳ, | paulo | Paulus, | G3972 → | 158 times |
| ἀνδρὶ | andri | man | G435 → | 216 times |
| συνετῷ. | suneto | an intelligent. | G4908 → | |
| οὗτος | houtos | He | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| προσκαλεσάμενος | proskalesamenos | having called to [him] | G4341 → | 28 times |
| Βαρναβᾶν | barnaban | Barnabas | G921 → | 28 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Σαῦλον | saulon | Saul | G4569 → | 15 times |
| ἐπεζήτησεν | epezetesen | desired | G1934 → | 13 times |
| ἀκοῦσαι | akousai | to hear | G191 → | 425 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγον | logon | word | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ. | theou | of God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
ὃςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
ἦνwas
enG1510 →2333 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθυπάτῳproconsul
anthupatoG446 →5 times
ΣεργίῳSergius
sergioG4588 →
Παύλῳ,Paulus,
pauloG3972 →158 times
ἀνδρὶman
andriG435 →216 times
συνετῷ.an intelligent.
sunetoG4908 →
οὗτοςHe
houtosG3778 →1381 times
προσκαλεσάμενοςhaving called to [him]
proskalesamenosG4341 →28 times
ΒαρναβᾶνBarnabas
barnabanG921 →28 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ΣαῦλονSaul
saulonG4569 →15 times
ἐπεζήτησενdesired
epezetesenG1934 →13 times
ἀκοῦσαιto hear
akousaiG191 →425 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λόγονword
logonG3056 →329 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ.of God.
theouG2316 →1312 times
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
Proverbs 18:15The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it out.
it leads to
- James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Proverbs 15:14
A discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
- Proverbs 1:5
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
- Proverbs 9:9
Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
- Luke 10:39
She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message.
- James 1:5
Through
Acts 13:8But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:8
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.
- 2 Timothy 4:14–15
Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
- 2 Timothy 3:8
Through
Acts 13:12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:4–5
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies21
What the record shows
1 entry- Sergius Paulus — attested in contemporary inscriptionwell-supported
Latin inscription(s) naming a Sergius Paullus (Rome; and a Cyprus/Soloi fragment, debated)
Biblical figure (Proconsul of Cyprus, mid-1st c. AD) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: The Cyprus fragment from Soloi names only 'Paulus, proconsul' — no first name, no family name — and Terence Mitford, who had once accepted an identification, later withdrew it. The Rome inscription names a Lucius Sergius Paullus who oversaw the Tiber banks but says nothing about Cyprus. The identification with the man in Acts 13 is plausible, not proven.
About Acts
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonNew TestamentBarnabasThe Levite from Cyprus whom the apostles nicknamed son of encouragement; he vouched for Saul when nobody in Jerusalem would go nea…
- PersonUnited monarchySaulIsrael's first king, head and shoulders above the people; began in humility, ended in rejection — sparing what God devoted, consul…
This page draws on 12 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, ON ILLUSTRIOUS MEN 5.4; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 28; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles, Expositor's Greek Testament; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts; W. M. Ramsay, The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.