Acts 13:6

King James Version (KJV)

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:

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Gone through the isle - Ὁλην, The Whole isle, is added here by ABCDE, several others, both the Syrian, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and Itala; and also by several of the Greek fathers; and this must be the true reading, for it is evident they ran through the whole island from east to west.

Unto Paphos - This town, next in importance to Salamis, was situated on the western part of the isle; and having gone from Salamis to this place is a proof that they had gone through the whole island from east to west, according to the reading noticed above. There was probably no town in the universe more dissolute than Papas. Here Venus had a superb temple: here she was worshipped with all her rites; and from this place she was named the Paphian Venus, the queen of Paphos, etc. This temple and whole city were destroyed by an earthquake; so that a vestige of either does not now remain. There are two islands which go by this name, both adjoining, and on the west side of the island of Cyprus. One is called Old Paphos, the other New Paphos; the latter is probably the island here mentioned, though they are often confounded. On this island there is a Christian Church, dedicated to St. George, in which service is performed by the Greek ministers. It is a bishop's see, suffragan to the Abp. of Nicosia.

A certain sorcerer - Τινα μαγον, A magician, one who used magical arts, and pretended to have commerce with supernatural agents. A person who dealt in sleight of hand, or leger-de-main. Such as I have supposed Simon Magus to be. See the note on Acts 8:9.

A false prophet - A deceiver, one who pretended to have a Divine commission, a fortune teller.

Bar-Jesus - That is, the son of Jesus or Joshua; as Bar-jona is the son of Jonah; Bar-tholomew, the son of Thalmi, etc.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

And when they had gone through the isle - The length of the island, according to Strabo, was 1,400 stadia, or nearly 170 miles.

Unto Paphos - Paphos was a city at the western extremity of the island. It was the residence of the proconsul, and was distinguished for a splendid temple erected to Venus, who was worshipped throughout the island. Cyprus was fabled to be the place of the birth of this goddess. It had, besides Paphos and Salamis, several towns of note Citium, the birthplace of Zeno, Areathus, sacred to Venus, etc. Its present capital is Nicosia. Whether Paul preached at any of these places is not recorded. The island is formerly supposed to have had one million inhabitants.

A certain sorcerer - Greek: magus, or magician. See the notes on Acts 8:9.

A false prophet - Pretending to be endowed with the gift of prophecy; or a man, probably, who pretended to be inspired.

Bar-jesus - The word “Bar” is Syriac, and means “son.” Jesus (Joshua) was not an uncommon name among the Jews. The name was given from his father - son of Jesus, or Joshua; as Bar-Jonas, son of Jonas.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Satan is in a special manner busy with great men and men in power, to keep them from being religious, for their example will influence many. Saul is here for the first time called Paul, and never after Saul. Saul was his name as he was a Hebrew; Paul was his name as he was a citizen of Rome. Under the direct influence of the Holy Ghost, he gave Elymas his true character, but not in passion. A fulness of deceit and mischief together, make a man indeed a child of the devil. And those who are enemies to the doctrine of Jesus, are enemies to all righteousness; for in it all righteousness is fulfilled. The ways of the Lord Jesus are the only right ways to heaven and happiness. There are many who not only wander from these ways themselves, but set others against these ways. They commonly are so hardened, that they will not cease to do evil. The proconsul was astonished at the force of the doctrine upon his own heart and conscience, and at the power of God by which it was confirmed. The doctrine of Christ astonishes; and the more we know of it, the more reason we shall see to wonder at it. Those who put their hand to the plough and look back, are not fit for the kingdom of God. Those who are not prepared to face opposition, and to endure hardship, are not fitted for the work of the ministry.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

6. Through the isle. Textual evidence attests (see p. 10) the reading “through the whole island.” Probably Paul and Barnabas taught at various places on their way across the island.

Paphos. Paphos lay at the western extremity of the island. There was an old city of Paphos that was noted for its sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite, but in Paul’s day a new city had been built some 7 mi. (c. 11 km.) farther to the northwest, and this served as the headquarters of the Roman governor of Cyprus. It was to this new city that Paul and Barnabas came.

Sorcerer. Gr. magos, “magus” (pl. “magi”), originally a Persian word denoting the priestly class among the Iranian fire worshipers. As such, the Magi held a position of dignity and respect. To this class belonged the “wise men” who visited the infant Jesus (see on Matt. 2:1). However, as early as the 5th century b.c. the term magos also had come to have the bad sense of a “sorcerer,” or a “quack.” Thus the Greek poet Sophocles makes Oedipus revile Teiresias under this name, as one who practiced magic (Oedipus the King 387). Luke uses a similar term for Simon, the sorcerer at Samaria (Acts 8:9). He apparently employs it in a general sense in connection with “false prophet,” to indicate that Bar-jesus, though he held a position of influence with the governor, was a quack.

A false prophet. A decadence in the use of true revelation produces false prophets, who in turn accelerate the decay.

A Jew. Pretenders to magic powers were common among the Jews (see Talmud Berakoth 59a, Soncino ed., p. 367). They traded on the religious prestige of their race, and boasted, in addition to their sacred books, of spells and charms that had allegedly come down to them from Solomon.

Bar-jesus. This is clearly a Jewish name, but textual evidence is so divided as to its correct spelling in Greek that a final decision on its exact meaning in Hebrew or Aramaic is hardly possible. It may mean “son of Joshua” (see on Matt. 1:1).

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Ellen G. White
The Acts of the Apostles, 166-9

This chapter is based on Acts 13:4-52.

“Sent forth by the Holy Ghost,” Paul and Barnabas, after their ordination by the brethren in Antioch, “departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” Thus the apostles began their first missionary journey. AA 166.1

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Paul's Journeys

The First Missionary Journey of Paul

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Acts 13:6