But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy 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.
- BSB But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul 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 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 3:8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
- Acts 13:6–7And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
- 2 Tim 4:14–15Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
- Acts 9:36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
- Acts 13:12Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
- Jer 28:10–11Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.
- Jer 28:1And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
- John 1:41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
- 1 Kgs 22:24But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
- Exod 7:11–13Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
- Acts 8:9But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
- Acts 6:7And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
- Jer 29:24–32Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
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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.