Acts 13:6 - Exposition

The whole island for the isle, A.V. and T.R. Paphos; on the south coast at the further extremity of the island, now Baffa. It had once a convenient harbor, which is now choked up from neglect. The chief temple of the Cyprian Venus was here. A certain sorcerer . The Greek word μάγος , whence magic and magician, is the same as in Matthew 2:1 is rendered "wise men." But here, as in Acts 8:9 , it has a bad sense. It is a Persian word, and in its original use designated a Persian religious caste, famous for their knowledge, wisdom, and purity of religious faith. They were attached to the court of the Babylonian monarchs, and were deemed to have great skill in astrology, in interpretation of dreams, and the like (see Daniel 1:20 ; Daniel 4:7 ; Daniel 4:1-37 in the LXX .). In Jeremiah 39:3 , Jeremiah 39:13 , the name Rab-mag seems to mean "the chief of the magi." But in process of time the word "magus" came to mean a sorcerer, a magician, a practicer of dark arts, as e.g. Simon Magus.