But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.
- KJV But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
- ESV But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
- NKJV But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
- NASB But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
- 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.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elymas the sorcerer opposes them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. He fights to keep a seeking soul in darkness.
Overview
Elymas (a rendering of his name) actively resists the missionaries, fearing the loss of his influence over Sergius Paulus. His opposition is the spiritual conflict behind the visible encounter, as the enemy seeks to block the word. The struggle sets up Paul's Spirit-empowered confrontation that vindicates the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 2 Tim 3:8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.
- Acts 13:6–7They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
- 2 Tim 4:14–15Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
- Acts 9:36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.
- Acts 13:12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
- Jer 28:10–11Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.
- Jer 28:1In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, near the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people:
- John 1:41He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ).
- 1 Kgs 22:24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
- Exod 7:11–13But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.
- Acts 8:9Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
- Acts 6:7So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith.
- Jer 29:24–32You are to tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite that
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 13:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.