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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_13:4-12
4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10and said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11"Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
Act_13:4 "being sent out by the Holy Spirit" This context does not assert the authority of the local church, but the authority of the Spirit. He is that part of the Trinity (see Special Topic at Act_2:32) emphasized in Acts. The "new Messianic age" was known as "the age of the Spirit." He calls, gifts, directs, convicts, and empowers (cf. Joh_14:16-17; Joh_14:26; Joh_15:26; Joh_16:7-15). No permanent or effective ministry can occur without His presence and blessing.
▣ "Seleucia" This was the port city of Antioch of Syria. It was about fifteen miles southwest. Its name goes back to Alexander the Great's general (Seleucid), who ruled this area after Alexander's death.
▣ "Cyprus" This was Barnabas' home (cf. Act_4:36) where there was a large Jewish population. In the OT it is known as Kittim. This was not the first Christian witness on this island (cf. Act_11:19-20).
Act_13:5 "Salamis" This was the port city on the east coast of the island of Cyprus. It was the commercial center of the island.
▣ "they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogue" The reason for this is obvious.
1. these Jews already knew the OT
2. Jews were the chosen people (cf. Gen_12:1-3) and had the first opportunity to respond (cf. Act_3:26; Act_13:46; Act_17:2; Act_18:4; Act_18:19; Act_19:8; Rom_1:16)
3. in the synagogue services were Gentiles who [a] had already been attracted to the one true God and [b] knew the OT
This became Paul's regular missionary method wherever there was a synagogue.
▣ "John" This refers to John Mark in whose home the disciples met (cf. Act_12:12). He is also the traditional writer of the Gospel of Mark, which seems to record the eyewitness testimony of the Apostle Peter. He is also the cause of the great argument between Paul and Barnabas which split the missionary team (cf. Act_15:36-41). However, later on Paul mentions John Mark in a positive way (cf. Col_4:10; 2Ti_4:11 and Phm_1:24). See fuller note at Introduction to Acts 16.
Act_13:6 "when they had gone through the whole island" This probably means that they stopped and preached in every synagogue on the island.
▣ "Paphos" This refers to new Paphos, in contradistinction from the older Phoenician city seven miles away. Both of these cities are named after the Phoenician goddess Paphian. This was the god of love also known as Aphrodite, Astarte, Venus, etc. This city was the official political capital of Cyprus.
▣ "Bar-Jesus" This man was a Jewish false prophet. His name means "son of Joshua." We learn from Act_13:8 that he went by the designation Elymas the magician. This term magician reflects the Greek equivalent of an Aramaic root that means "sorcerer" (cf. Act_13:10). See Special Topic at Act_8:9.
Act_13:7 "the proconsul, Sergius Paulus" There has been much discussion about the historicity of Luke's accounts. Here is a good example of the accuracy of Luke the historian. He calls this man "a proconsul," which meant Cyprus was a Roman Senatorial province. We learn this occurred in a.d. 22 by decree from Augustus. We also learn from a Latin inscription at Soloi that Sergius Paulus began his proconsulship in a.d. 53. The more information archaeology discovers from the Mediterranean world of the first century, the more Luke's historical accuracy is corroborated.
▣ "a man of intelligence" This term is used with a wide variety of connotations. In this context it implies he was able to rule effectively. Also characterizing him in this way shows that the gospel not only impacted the poor and uneducated, but also the wealthy and educated (cf. Manaen Act_13:1). It is also possible that one of Luke's intents of writing Acts was to show that the gospel did not threaten Roman rule.
Act_13:8 "Elymas" It seems that this Greek name is a transliteration of
1. an Arabic term for a wise man (a sage, a diviner, one who can foresee and control the future by manipulating the unseen powers/forces of the unseen realm, AB, vol. 2, p. 487)
2. an Aramaic word for one who interprets dreams
▣ "magician" This is related to the term "magi," which meant Chaldean-Median wise men, like Daniel (cf. Dan_2:2; Dan_4:9; Mat_2:1). However, by Paul's day, it was used of itinerant magicians and wandering quacks in the Greco-Roman world. See Special Topic at Act_8:9.
▣ "the faith" This term is used in three specific ways in the NT:
1. personal trusting in Jesus Christ as a Savior
2. faithful, godly living
3. theological content of the gospel (i.e., doctrine, cf. Jud_1:3; Jud_1:20)
The same ambiguity is seen in Act_6:7. Here it seems to refer to #3 because of the article and the context. See Special Topics at Act_3:16; Act_6:5.
Act_13:9 "Paul" This is the first use of his Roman cognomen in the book of Acts. Paul is from a Greek term that means "little." Some think it refers to Paul's physical size, others to his own personal evaluation of himself as "the least of the apostles" because he persecuted the church. It was probably the second name given to him by his parents at birth.
▣ "Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit" The power of the Spirit that guided the early church is described by the term "the filling" (cf. Act_2:4; Act_4:8; Act_4:31; Act_6:3; Act_7:55; Act_9:17; Act_13:9; Act_13:52). The ongoing, daily filling of the Spirit is the normal state of all believers (cf. Eph_5:18). In Acts it is usually associated with a boldness to proclaim the gospel.
▣ "fixed his gaze" See fuller note at Act_1:10.
Act_13:10 Paul characterizes this Jewish false prophet by several terms.
1. "full by deceit," meaning to entrap with a bait (this is the only use of this term in Luke's writings)
2. "full of all fraud," this is from the Greek word that means to do something lightly or frivolously, but it came to have an evil connotation (cf. Act_18:14). This term is found only in Acts (cf. Act_13:10; Act_18:14).
3. "son of the devil," this is a Semitic idiom (cf. Act_3:25; Act_4:36) for one characterized by the actions of the devil (cf. Mat_13:38; Joh_8:38; Joh_8:41; Joh_8:44, see Special Topics at Act_5:3)
4. "enemy of all righteousness," This term is used several times in Luke's writings involving OT quotes (cf. Luk_1:71; Luk_1:74; Luk_20:43; Act_2:35). All that is like God, this man was against. See hyperlink at Act_3:14.
5. Paul uses the inclusive term "all" three times to show this man's complete volitional wickedness
▣ "to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord" This question expects a "yes" answer. The word "right" or "straight" in the NT reflects the OT concept of righteousness, which meant a standard or measuring reed. The NT terms "crooked" or "perverted" reflect the OT terms for sin, which were a deviation from the standard, which is God Himself. This man made everything crooked (i.e., the opposite of righteousness). See Special Topic at Act_3:14.
Act_13:11 "the hand of the Lord" This is a Semitic anthropomorphic phrase referring to the power and presence of YHWH (cf. Luk_1:66; Act_11:21). In the OT it often refers to God's judgment (cf. Exo_9:3; 1Sa_5:6; Job_19:21; Job_23:2; Psa_32:4; Psa_38:2; Psa_39:10), as it does here.
▣ "you will be blind" These powerful descriptive terms of evil and rebellion by which Paul characterizes this man and the form of his temporary divine punishment may reflect Paul's own previous life. He looks back now and sees himself in this Jewish false teacher and his manipulation (cf. Act_9:8).
Blindness is often used in a parabolic sense of a lack of spiritual receptivity (cf. John 9; Acts 9; also note Deu_28:28-29).
Act_13:12 "believed when he saw what happened" This is the same Greek word (pisteuô, the noun can be translated as believe, faith, or trust) used throughout the NT for genuine belief. This governor responded to the gospel message. One man's eyes were closed (literally); one man's eyes were opened (metaphorically). This is the mystery of belief and unbelief (cf. John 9). See Special Topics: Faith (noun, verb, and adjective) at Act_3:16 and OT Faith at Act_6:5.