Acts 13:4-12 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 13:4-13

In these verses we have, I. A general account of the coming of Barnabas and Saul to the famous island of Cyprus; and perhaps thitherward they steered their course because Barnabas was a native of that country (Acts 4:36), and he was willing they should have the first-fruits of his labours, pursuant to his new commission. Observe, 1. Their being sent forth by the Holy Ghost was the great thing that encouraged them in this undertaking, Acts 13:4. If the Holy Ghost send them forth, he will go... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 13:4-12

13:4-12 So when they had been sent out by the Holy Spirit they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed away to Cyprus. When they were in Salamis they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogue of the Jews; and they had John as their helper. They went through the whole island as far as Paphos, and there they found a man who was a dealer in magic, a false prophet and a Jew. His name was Bar-Jesus and he was with the pro-consul Sergius Paulus who was an intelligent man. The pro-consul... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:4

So they being sent forth of the Holy Ghost ,.... This is said, lest it should be thought they were sent by men; it was the Holy Ghost that moved the prophets at Antioch to separate them from them, and to send them away; and who inclined their minds to go, and directed them what course to steer: and accordingly they departed to Seleucia ; which was a city of Syria, called by Pliny, Seleucia Pieria F4 L. 5. c. 12, 21. ; it had its name from Seleucus Nicanor, king of Egypt, who was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:5

And when they were at Salamis ,.... A chief city of Cyprus; and so Herodotus F6 L. 4. c. 162. calls it Salamis of Cyprus; and in this island it is placed by Pliny F7 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 31. and Ptolomy F8 Geograph. l. 5. c. 14. : it was built by Teucer, the son of Telamon, after his return from the Trojan war; and so called by him, from his native country Salamine, in Greece, as is generally agreed by historians F9 Vellei Patercul. Hist. l. 1. in initio, Isocratis... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:6

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos ,.... The Alexandrian copy, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "the whole isle"; for through the midst of the whole island they must go, to go from Salarnis to Paphos; for Salamis was on the east, and Paphos on the west of the islands F17 Ptolom. Geograph. l. 5. c. 14. : it had its name from the Phoenician word, פאת פאות , "peathpaoth", "the corner of corners"; because both old and new Paphos were situated in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:7

Which was with the deputy of the country , &c.; Or the Roman governor of the island; who very likely dwelt at Paphos, it being a principal, if not the principal city in the island, since Pliny mentions it first of all the cities in it, as before observed: and with this governor, or proconsul, as the word signifies, or rather praetor, Bar-jesus was: either he lived with him, making great pretensions to knowledge and learning, which the governor might be a favourer of, or in quality of a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:8

But Elymas the sorcerer, for so is his name by interpretation ,.... Not that Magus a sorcerer is by interpretation Elymas; as if Luke was interpreting the Persic word "Magus", which is sometimes used in a good sense, for a wise man, as in Matthew 2:1 by an Arabic word "Elim", which signifies knowing; but "Elymas" is the interpretation of his name "Bar-jesus"; which as that signifies the son of salvation, or of healing, so this, as De Dieu observes, may be derived from חלם , "Chalam",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:9

Then Saul (who also is called Paul) ,.... He was called by both these names; as he was a Jew by birth, his parents called him Saul, that was his Jewish name, and by which he went among the Jews; and as he was a citizen of a Roman city, Tarsus in Cilicia, he went among the Romans, or Gentiles, by the name of Paul, a Roman name; and it was usual with the Jews to be called after this manner, that is, to have one name among themselves, and another among the Gentiles: it is a rule with them F14... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:10

And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief ,.... Which may have regard both to his general character as a sorcerer, and a false prophet; in acting up to which he used much deceit and cunning among the people, and did much mischief to them; to which there was a promptness and readiness in him, as the word used signifies; and also to the sophistry he used, and the mischief he endeavoured to do in seeking to turn the deputy from the faith. The minds of carnal men are vain and empty, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:11

And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee ,.... That is, the power of God was just ready to be exerted on him in a way of punishment, by striking him with blindness: and thou shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season : so blind as not to see the sun, when it shined ever so brightly: this punishment seems to be but for a time; and some say that Elymas repented, and had his sight restored to him; and after that he returned to his sorcery, and again greatly opposed Barnabas in... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 13:4-13

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 13:4-12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:11

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