the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Acts 13:7
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This fellow rode for the local governor there, a man named Sergius Paulus. The governor was a sharp man, and he sent for these two cowboys who were gathering remnants on the island. He wanted to hear what they were telling everyone about God.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
Who was with the ruler, Sergius Paulus, an able man. This man sent for Barnabas and Saul, desiring to have knowledge of the word of God.
who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. *He*, having called Barnabas and Saul to [him], desired to hear the word of God.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear God's message.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called Barnabas and Saul to him, and sought to hear the word of God.
Who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. He calling to him Barnabas and Saul, desired to hear the word of God.
who was a friend of the Proconsul Sergius Paulus. The Proconsul was a man of keen intelligence. He sent for Barnabas and Saul, and asked to be told God's Message.
Which was with the deputie of the countrey Sergius Paulus, a prudent man: who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to heare the word of God.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This one having called Barnabas and Saul to him, he sought to hear the Word of God.
which was with Sergius Paulus the ruler of the countre, a ma of vnderstondinge. The same called Barnabas and Saul vnto him, and desyred to heare ye worde of God.
who was [closely associated] with the proconsul [of the province], Sergius Paulus, an intelligent and sensible man. He called for Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
which was with ye ruler of the countre won Sergius Paulus a prudet man. The same ruler called vnto him Barnabas and Saul and desyred to heare the worde of God.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called to him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
Who 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.
who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man; this one having called for Barnabas and Saul, did desire to hear the word of God,
who always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, the governor and a smart man. He asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear the message of God.
who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.
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.
He also worked for Sergius Paulus, who was very smart and was the governor of the island. Sergius Paulus wanted to hear God's message, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul.
He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. Now the governor had called for Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul and was anxious to hear the message about God;
He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
Which was wt the Deputie Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. He called vnto him Barnabas and Saul, and desired to heare the woorde of God.
Who was very close friend to a wise man, the proconsul whose name was Ser''gi-us Pau''lus, who called for Saul and Bar''na-bas, and desired to hear from them the word of God.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same summoned Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul, and sought to hear the word of God.
He was associated with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. He sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
This adhered to a wise man who was proconsul, and was called Sergius Paulos. And the proconsul called Shaol and Bar Naba and requested to hear from them the word of Aloha.
He adhered to a wise man, who was the proconsul, and was called Sergius Paulus. And the proconsul sent for Saul and Barnabas, and requested to hear from them the word of God.
He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God.
Sergius Paulus was the leader of the country and a man who knew much. Barjesus was with Sergius Paulus. Sergius Paulus asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him so he might hear the Word of God.
which was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.
Who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The same, calling for Barnabas and Saul, sought to hear the word of God.
Who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. He, sending for Barnabas and Saul, desired to hear the word of God.
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.
who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and wished to hear the word of God.
Which was with the deputie of the countrey, one Sergius Paulus, a prudent man: The same called vnto hym Barnabas and Saul, and desired to heare the worde of God.
He always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, who was the governor and a very smart man. He invited Barnabas and Saul to come visit him, because he wanted to hear the message of God.
who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
He was a friend of the governor of the island, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor called Barnabas and Saul before him because he wanted to hear the word of God.
that was with the proconsul Sergius Paule, a prudent man. This clepide Barnabas and Poul, and desiride to here the word of God.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the deputy: Acts 13:12, Acts 18:12, Acts 19:38
a prudent: Acts 17:11, Acts 17:12, Proverbs 14:8, Proverbs 14:15, Proverbs 14:18, Proverbs 18:15, Hosea 14:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Reciprocal: Ezra 5:14 - governor Luke 2:2 - governor Acts 13:9 - who Acts 28:7 - the chief 1 Corinthians 1:26 - not many mighty
Cross-References
for you are still subject to your passions. since envy, and strife, and divisions are among you, are you not actuated by the vices of the animal part?
brutality, idolatry, poisoning, enmities, quarrels, emulations, animosities, strife, seditions, factions, envyings,
Be prudent in your conduct to those, who are not christians: and make the best of of every opportunity.
so that your way of life may stand fair to the world, and prevent your being dependent upon any man.
for even we ourselves were once inconsiderate, disobedient, deluded, addicted to variety of passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, the deserving objects of mutual hatred.
where false zeal, and a spirit of contention reign, there confusion and every vice prevail.
you breathe slaughter and revenge for what you cannot obtain.
souls. Let your behaviour among the Gentiles be virtuous, that instead of inveighing against you as vicious, they may observe your honest behaviour,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Which was with the deputy of the country, c. Or the Roman governor of the island who very likely dwelt at Paphos, it being a principal, if not the principal city in the island, since Pliny mentions it first of all the cities in it, as before observed: and with this governor, or proconsul, as the word signifies, or rather praetor, Bar-jesus was: either he lived with him, making great pretensions to knowledge and learning, which the governor might be a favourer of, or in quality of a physician; the Ethiopic version adds, "and he was a servant of the governor"; or he might be only with him occasionally and accidentally, just at that time, though the former seems most likely: and the name of this deputy was Sergius Paulus; the name of Paulus was common among the Romans; Pliny the younger speaks b of one Passienus Paulus, a famous Roman knight, and very learned, who wrote elegies; and Trajan c, in an epistle to him, makes mention of Paulus the proconsul; and Pliny the older, among his authors from whom he compiled his history, cites one of this very name, Sergius Paulus d. The island of Cyprus was at this time in the hands of the Romans, and this man was the governor of it; it was first inhabited by some of the sons of Japhet; Josephus e assigns it to Cittim: Cittim, he says,
"had the island Chetima, which now is called Cyprus; and from it all the islands, and most places about the sea, are called Chethim by the Hebrews; and as a proof of what I say, (adds he,) one of the cities in Cyprus still retains the name; for it is called Citium by those who have made it Greek, and not much differing from the name Chethimus.''
After the Trojan war, it came into the hands of the Grecians; and continued with them from the times of Teucer, until Evagoras and his son Nicocles; and then it fell into the hands of the Romans, and through them to the kings of Egypt; and after them became a Roman colony, in the following manner: Clodius Pulcher condemned Cyprus to the Roman people, to possess which Cato being sent, Ptolomy the king of the island, having cast his money into the sea, prevented the ignominy of it by a voluntary death, Anno U. C. 698 f. The Roman historian says g, Cyprus being conquered, the glory of it was not assigned to any, seeing it was made a province by the decree of the senate, by the means of Cato, through the death of the king, which he brought upon himself; and from that time, as Strabo says h, it became a praetorian province, and was now governed by a praetor, though he is called a deputy, or proconsul; the reason of which Dr. Hammond thinks was, because that P. Lentulus, Ap. Claudius, and M. Cicero, being proconsuls of Cilicia, had the administration of Cyprus also granted to them by the senate; hence afterwards the governors of Cyprus were called proconsuls, or deputies. This same Greek word here used, is adopted by the Jewish Rabbins into their language; hence we read of אנטיפוטא ανθυπατος, "the deputy", or "proconsul" of Caesarea i; which is explained by a governor, and a judge k or a third from the king l; and it is refined in the Syriac version: this deputy is said to be a "prudent man". The Arabic version seems to distinguish Paul the prudent man, from Sergius the deputy, or tribune, as it calls him; reading the words thus, "who was by Sergius the tribune, with Paul a prudent man"; but Sergius and Paulus undoubtedly design one and the same man, who was prudent: he is said to be "a prudent man", in the management of his affairs, as a governor; and might be very learned, ingenious, and an understanding man; a man of great sagacity and penetration, who very likely saw through the vain pretensions, and impostures of Bar-jesus, and was desirous to expose him in a public manner; or at least might conclude he would be discovered and exposed by those good men, who were come into the city; and what follows seems to be mentioned as an instance of his prudence:
who called for Barnabas and Saul; sent messengers to them, to desire them to come to him; Barnabas is mentioned first, though the inferior person, because he was a native of the country, and might be best known:
and desired to hear the word of God; whether this was at first from mere curiosity, or from any political view, or from a true desire of knowing the way of life and salvation, which might be wrought in his soul by the Spirit of God, is not certain; though the latter seems most likely, since it issued in his conversion.
b L. 6. ep. 15. p. 139. c Ib. l. 10. ep. 68. p. 267. d Elenchos Hist. ex autoribus, l. 2. & 1. 18. e Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1. f Petav. Rationar. Temp. par. 1. l. 4. c. 18. p. 191. g Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. h Geograph. l. 14. p. 471. i T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 9. 1. Midrash Kohelet, fol. 66. 3. & 82. 2. k Arnch apud Mattanot Cehuna in Midrash ib. l David de Pomis Lex, Heb. fol. 9. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Which was with the deputy - Or with the proconsul. The exact accuracy of Luke in this statement is worthy of special remark. In the time when Augustus united the world under his own power, the provinces were divided into two classes. Augustus found two names which were applied to public officers in existence, one of which was henceforward inseparably blended with the imperial dignity and with military command, and the other with the authority of the senate and its civil administration. The first of these names was “Praetor”; the other was “Consul.” What is to be accounted for here is that the latter is the name given by Luke to Sergius Paulus, as if he derived his authority from the senate. The difficulty in the ease is this: that Augustus told the senate and the people of Rome that he would resign to them those provinces where soldiers were unnecessary to secure a peaceful administration, and that he would himself take the care and risk of the other provinces where the presence of the Roman legions would be necessary.
Hence, in the time of Augustus, and in the subsequent reigns of the emperors, the provinces were divided into these two classes; the one governed by men who went forth from the senate, and who would be styled Proconsul, ἀνθύπατος anthupatos - the term used here; and the other those sent forth by the emperor, and who would be styled Procurator, Ἐπίτροπος Epitropos or Proproetor, Ἀντιστράτηγος Antistratēgos. Both these kind of officers are referred to in the New Testament. Now we are told by Strabo and Dio Cassius that “Asaia” and “Achaia” were assigned to the senate, and the title, therefore, of the governor would be Proconsul, as we find in Acts 18:12; Acts 19:38. At the same time, Dio Cassius informs us that Cyprus was retained by the emperor for himself, and the title of the governor, therefore, would naturally have been, not “Proconsul,” as here, but “Procurator.” Yet it so happens that Dio Cassius has stated the reason why the title “Proconsul” was given to the governor of Cyprus, in the fact which he mentions that “Augustus restored Cyprus to the senate in exchange for another district of the empire.” It is this statement which vindicates the strict accuracy of Luke in the passage before us. See Life and Epistles of Paul, vol. 1, pp. 142-144, and also Lardner’s Credibility, part 1, chapter 1, section 11, where he has fully vindicated the accuracy of the appellation which is here given to Sergius by Luke.
Sergius Paulus, a prudent man - The word here rendered “prudent” means “intelligent, wise, learned.” It also may have the sense of candid, and may have been given to this man because he was of large and liberal views; of a philosophic and inquiring turn of mind; and was willing to obtain knowledge from any source. Hence, he had entertained the Jews; and hence, he was willing also to listen to Barnabas and Saul. It is not often that men of rank are thus willing to listen to the instructions of the professed ministers of God.
Who called for Barnabas and Saul - It is probable that they had preached in Paphos, and Sergius was desirous himself of hearing the import of their new doctrine.
And desired to hear ... - There is no evidence that he then wished to listen to this as divine truth, or that he was anxious about his own salvation, but it was rather as a speculative inquiry. It was a professed characteristic of many ancient philosophers that they were willing to receive instruction from any quarter. Compare Acts 17:19-20.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Acts 13:7. The deputy of the country — ανθυπατω, The proconsul. Rosenmuller and others remark, that in those days the Romans sent two different kinds of governors into the provinces. Some of the provinces were Caesarean or imperial, and into those they sent propretors; others belonged to the senate and people of Rome, and into those they sent proconsuls. Cyprus had formerly been an imperial province; but Augustus, who made the distinction, had given it to the people, whence it was governed by a proconsul. See Dion Cass. Hist. Rom. lib. iv. p. 523. [Edit. Leunclav.]
Sergius Paulus — This proconsul is not mentioned any where else: he became a Christian, had his name written in the book of life, and, probably on that very account, blotted out of the Fasti Consulares.
A prudent man — ανδρι συνετω, A man of good sense, of a sound understanding, and therefore wished to hear the doctrine taught by these apostles; he did not persecute the men for their preaching, but sent for them that he might hear for himself.
