Acts 13:7-8

13:7 who was with the proconsul ¹  Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul ²  summoned ³  Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear ⁴  the word of God. 13:8 But the magician Elymas ⁵  (for that is the way his name is translated) ⁶  opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul ⁷  away from the faith.

Acts 13:12

13:12 Then when the proconsul ⁸  saw what had happened, he believed, ⁹  because he was greatly astounded ¹⁰  at the teaching about ¹¹  the Lord.

[13:7]  ¹ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:7]  ² tn Grk “This one”; the referent (the proconsul) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:7]  ³ tn Grk “summoning Barnabas and Saul, wanted to hear.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:7]  ⁴ sn The proconsul…wanted to hear the word of God. This description of Sergius Paulus portrays him as a sensitive, secular Gentile leader.

[13:8]  ⁵ tn On the debate over what the name “Elymas” means, see BDAG 320 s.v. ᾿Ελύμας. The magician’s behavior is more directly opposed to the faith than Simon Magus’ was.

[13:8]  ⁶ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:8]  ⁷ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:12]  ⁸ sn See the note on proconsul in v. 8.

[13:12]  ⁹ sn He believed. The faith of the proconsul in the face of Jewish opposition is a theme of the rest of Acts. Paul has indeed become “a light to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:47).

[13:12]  ¹⁰ tn The translation “greatly astounded” for ἐκπλησσόμενος (ekplhssomeno") is given by L&N 25.219.

[13:12]  ¹¹ tn Grk “of,” but this could give the impression the Lord himself had done the teaching (a subjective genitive) when actually the Lord was the object of the teaching (an objective genitive).