ACT 13:4-12

On Cyprus

4So they, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed to Cyprus. [13:5] And when they arrived in Salamis, they were proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as a helper — an under-rower, carrying out tasks under their direction. [13:6] When they had passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician — a Persian-style diviner — a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus. [13:7] He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. [13:8] But Elymas the magician — for that is how his name is translated — opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. [13:9] But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him [13:10] and said: "You who are full of every kind of cunning trap and every kind of unscrupulous knavery, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness — will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? [13:11] And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time." Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. [13:12] Then the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

In the world it was spoken into

First-century listeners would have recognized the journey from Antioch to Cyprus as a common trade route, with Seleucia as a major port. The mention of 'synagogues of the Jews' in Salamis indicates a standard practice for Jewish travelers or those seeking to address Jewish communities. The term for John would have conveyed his role as a subordinate assistant, perhaps handling logistics or serving as an apprentice. The encounter with a , Bar-Jesus, would not have immediately implied evil; were often seen as learned men, astrologers, or even religious figures. However, his description as a 'false prophet' and his opposition to Barnabas and Saul would have shifted perception. The proconsul Sergius Paulus, as a Roman official, represented imperial authority. His desire to hear 'the word of God' would have been understood as an inquiry into a new philosophy or religious teaching, a common intellectual pursuit among educated Romans. Elymas's use of (cunning deceit) and (unscrupulous villainy) would have marked him as actively hostile, not merely a philosophical opponent.

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How other translations render this

ACT 13:4

KJV: So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
BSB: So Barnabas and Saul, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
Koinōnos: So they, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.

ACT 13:5

KJV: And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
BSB: When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.
Koinōnos: And when they arrived in Salamis, they were proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as a helper — an under-rower, carrying out tasks under their direction.

ACT 13:6

KJV: And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
BSB: They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
Koinōnos: When they had passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician — a Persian-style diviner — a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus.

ACT 13:7

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.
BSB: an 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.
Koinōnos: He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

ACT 13:8

KJV: But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy 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.
Koinōnos: But Elymas the magician — for that is how his name is translated — opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

ACT 13:9

KJV: Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
BSB: Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas
Koinōnos: But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him

ACT 13:10

KJV: And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
BSB: and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
Koinōnos: and said: "You who are full of every kind of cunning trap and every kind of unscrupulous knavery, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness — will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?

ACT 13:11

KJV: And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
BSB: Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
Koinōnos: And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time." Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.

ACT 13:12

KJV: Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
BSB: When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
Koinōnos: Then the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

ACT 13:5

a helper.:The word translated 'a helper' originally referred to an under-rower on a ship, someone who performed manual labor under direction. It implies a subordinate role, carrying out tasks for another.

ACT 13:6

magician:The term translated 'magician' referred to a Persian priest or wise man, often associated with interpreting dreams and practicing various forms of divination, not merely stage magic.

ACT 13:10

deceit:The word translated 'deceit' refers to a cunning trick or stratagem, often involving a hidden trap or bait, designed to ensnare or mislead someone.
craft,:The word translated 'craft' here denotes unscrupulousness, knavery, or reckless mischief, often implying a lack of moral principle in one's actions.