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Acts 13

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

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.

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:

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.

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

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?

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.

Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

But God raised him from the dead:

And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

What does Acts 13:11 mean?

Explanation

The verse in Acts 13:11 is taken from the New Testament and recounts an incident involving the apostle Paul, known as Saul of Tarsus before his conversion, and a sorcerer named Elymas, also called Bar-Jesus.

Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, rebukes Elymas for his deceit and attempts to turn the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, away from the faith.

Paul declares a temporary punishment on Elymas in the form of blindness, which God immediately enacts.

The punishment serves both as a consequence of Elymas’s actions and as a sign to others of God’s power and the truth of the Gospel.

The "blindness," here, is not just physical but also symbolizes spiritual blindness and the inability to perceive and accept spiritual truth.

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Historical Context

This event takes place during Paul’s first missionary journey, which is recorded in the Book of Acts.

The incident likely occurred around AD 46-48 on the island of Cyprus in the city of Paphos.

Elymas is described as a sorcerer and false prophet, indicative of his engagement in practices condemned by the early Christian community.

The proconsul Sergius Paulus is described as an intelligent man who seeks to hear the word of God.

This confrontation exemplifies the clash between early Christianity and competing religious beliefs of the time.

Theological Insights

This verse brings out several key theological points.

Firstly, it asserts the authority of God’s servants to enact divine judgment when empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, it showcases the conflict between the forces of good and the forces of evil, represented by Paul and Elymas respectively.

This also demonstrates the power of God, which supersedes all magic or sorcery, and Hhis willingness to defend His message and messengers.

From a predestination standpoint, some theologians might interpret this event as part of God's plan to solidify the faith of the proconsul.

Practical Applications

In a modern context, this verse can serve as a reminder that deceit and opposition to truth can have serious consequences.

For believers, it stresses the importance of remaining faithful and warns against attempting to subvert God's work.

It also encourages Christians to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance in confronting challenges and to trust in God's power to achieve His purposes.

The verse suggests that sometimes divine intervention serves as a corrective to guide individuals back to the right path.

Cross-References

2 Corinthians 4:4: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Exodus 9:14: For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
John 9:39: And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Language Study

The Greek word for "blind" used here is "τυφλός" (typhlos), literally meaning "unable to see" and can also metaphorically reference a mental or spiritual blindness.

The phrase "not seeing the sun" uses the Greek word "ἥλιον" (helion) for "sun," which often symbolizes knowledge and truth in scripture, implying Elymas's lack of spiritual insight.

The "hand of the Lord" is an anthropomorphism, attributing human characteristics to God to denote His power and intervention.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient times, physical afflictions like blindness were often seen as divine punishments or omens.

For example, in Greek mythology, Tiresias was struck blind by the gods.

Similarly, in many cultures, sorcery and magic were believed to be real forces that could challenge the divine order, necessitating strict regulations or taboos around such practices.

Scientific Perspectives

The sudden onset of physical blindness described could be attributed to medical conditions such as retinal detachment or stroke; however, in this context, the event is portrayed as supernatural.

Science generally does not confirm or deny miraculous events, as they fall outside the scope of empirical investigation.

Commentaries

Commentators have varied interpretations of this verse.

Matthew Henry comments on the justness of God's judgment, reflecting the retributive nature of Elymas's punishment.

He also sees this as a demonstration of God's readiness to vindicate His own cause.

John Calvin focuses on the severity of God's punishment as a mark of Elymas's guilt and as a warning to others.

Modern commentators often discuss the role of miracles in the early church and how those miracles validated the apostolic message.

Acts 13

Acts 13

What does Acts 13:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 13:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?