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11 Now[a] look, the hand of the Lord is against[b] you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness[c] and darkness came over[d] him, and he went around seeking people[e] to lead him by the hand. 12 Then when the proconsul[f] saw what had happened, he believed,[g] because he was greatly astounded[h] at the teaching about[i] the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch

13 Then Paul and his companions put out to sea[j] from Paphos[k] and came to Perga[l] in Pamphylia,[m] but John[n] left them and returned to Jerusalem.[o]

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:11 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.
  2. Acts 13:11 tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.
  3. Acts 13:11 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.
  4. Acts 13:11 tn Grk “fell on.”
  5. Acts 13:11 tn The noun χειραγωγός (cheiragōgos) is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”
  6. Acts 13:12 sn See the note on proconsul in v. 8.
  7. Acts 13:12 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).
  8. Acts 13:12 tn The translation “greatly astounded” for ἐκπλησσόμενος (ekplēssomenos) is given by L&N 25.219.
  9. Acts 13:12 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).
  10. Acts 13:13 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”
  11. Acts 13:13 sn Paphos was a city on the southwestern coast of the island of Cyprus. See Acts 13:6.
  12. Acts 13:13 sn Perga was a city in Pamphylia near the southern coast of Asia Minor. The journey from Paphos to Perga is about 105 mi (175 km).
  13. Acts 13:13 sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor.
  14. Acts 13:13 sn That is, John Mark.
  15. Acts 13:13 sn Returned to Jerusalem. John Mark had originally accompanied them from Jerusalem (see Acts 12:25). John Mark’s decision to leave became an issue later for Barnabas and Paul (Acts 15:36-39).