Acts 13 · Verse 7

Acts 13:7

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.

Acts 13:7, King James Version

Acts 13:7 in other translations

BSB	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.
WEB	who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.
ASV	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.
YLT	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,
DARBY	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.
BBE	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.
Webster	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.

What does Acts 13:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. Which was with the deputy--properly, "the proconsul." This name was reserved for the governors of settled provinces, which were placed under the Roman Senate, and is never given in the New Testament to Pilate, Felix, or Festus, who were but procurators, or subordinate administrators of unsettled, imperial, military provinces. Now as Augustus reserved Cyprus for himself, its governor would in that case have been not a proconsul, but simply a procurator, had not the emperor afterwards restored it to the Senate, as a Roman historian [Dio Cassius] expressly states. In most striking confirmation of this minute accuracy of the sacred historian, coins have actually been found in the island, stamped with the names of proconsuls, both in Greek and Latin [Akerman, Numismatic Illustrations of the New Testament]. (Grotius and Bengel, not aware of this, have missed the mark here). Sergius Paulus, a prudent man--an intelligent man, who thirsting for truth, sent for Barnabas and Saul, desiring ("earnestly desiring") to hear the Word of God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. Which was with the deputy. Or with the proconsul. Cyprus was at this time subject to the Roman empire, and was governed by a proconsul appointed by the emperor. The provinces subject to Rome were governed by persons who held their office originally from the consul, or chief magistrate of the Roman republic. Men of the rank of senators were usually appointed to these offices. See on this subject Lardner's Credibility, part i., chap. i., & 11, where he 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 in office, and 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, etc. 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 rather as a speculative inquiry. It was a professed characteristic of many ancient philosophers to be willing to receive instruction from any quarter. Comp. Acts 17:19,20.

(+) "prudent" "well-informed"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 The deputy of the country - Ανθυπατῳ, 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 συνετῳ, 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 13:4-13

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…

Read the full comment on Acts 13:4-13 →

Acts 13:7 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὃςhoswhoG3739

ἦνēnwasG1510

σὺνsunwithG4862

τῷtōtheG3588

ἀνθυπάτῳanthupatōproconsulG446

ΣεργίῳSergiōSergiusG4588

Παύλῳ,PaulōPaulus,G3972

ἀνδρὶandrimanG435

συνετῷ.sunetōan intelligent.G4908

οὗτοςhoutosHeG3778

προσκαλεσάμενοςproskalesamenoshaving called to [him]G4341

ΒαρναβᾶνBarnabanBarnabasG921

καὶkaiandG2532

ΣαῦλονSaulonSaulG4569

ἐπεζήτησενepezētēsendesiredG1934

ἀκοῦσαιakousaito hearG191

τὸνtontheG3588

λόγονlogonwordG3056

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 13:7

Acts 13:12
Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
Acts 19:38
Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Acts 18:12
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Proverbs 18:15
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
Acts 13:8
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Proverbs 14:15
The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
Hosea 14:9
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
Acts 17:11-12
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
Proverbs 14:18
The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Proverbs 14:8
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the deputy.
12; 18:12; 19:38
a prudent.
17:11,12; Pr 14:8,15,18; 18:15; Ho 14:9; 1Th 5:21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Acts 13:6
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:
Acts 13:7
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.
Acts 13:8
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Read all of Acts 13

Acts 13:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	El cual estaba con el procónsul Sergio Paulo, varón prudente. Este, llamando á Bernabé y á Saulo, deseaba oir la palabra de Dios.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	qui était avec le proconsul Serge Paul, homme intelligent. Celui-ci, ayant fait appeler Barnabas et Saul, demanda à entendre la parole de Dieu.
German Elberfelder 1871	der bei dem Prokonsul Sergius Paulus war, einem verständigen Manne. Dieser rief Barnabas und Saulus herbei und begehrte das Wort Gottes zu hören.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	qui erat cum proconsule Sergio Paulo viro prudente. Hic, accersitis Barnaba et Saulo, desiderabat audire verbum Dei.