Acts 13:11

13:11 Now ¹  look, the hand of the Lord is against ²  you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness ³  and darkness came over ⁴  him, and he went around seeking people ⁵  to lead him by the hand.

Isaiah 42:16

42:16 I will lead the blind along an unfamiliar way; ⁶ 

I will guide them down paths they have never traveled. ⁷ 

I will turn the darkness in front of them into light,

and level out the rough ground. ⁸ 

This is what I will do for them.

I will not abandon them.

[13:11]  ¹ tn Grk “And now.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:11]  ² tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.

[13:11]  ³ sn The term translated mistiness here appears in the writings of the physician Galen as a medical technical description of a person who is blind. The picture of judgment to darkness is symbolic as well. Whatever power Elymas had, it represented darkness. Magic will again be an issue in Acts 19:18-19. This judgment is like that of Ananias and his wife in Acts 5:1-11.

[13:11]  ⁴ tn Grk “fell on.”

[13:11]  ⁵ tn The noun χειραγωγός (ceiragwgo") is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”

[42:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “a way they do not know” (so NASB); NRSV “a road they do not know.”

[42:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “in paths they do not know I will make them walk.”

[42:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “and the rough ground into a level place.”