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Acts 13:6
#1
Shlama Akhay,

When comparing the GNT and PNT of Acts 13:6, there are different names given to the Jewish man who was a false prophet and sorcerer.

ASV- "And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;"

Lamsa- "And when they had traveled the whole island as far as the city of Paphos, they found a Jewish sorcerer, who was a false prophet and whose name was Bar-Shuma;"

The only reference for 'Shuma' I could find was at the CAL site.

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1 JLAGal,JBA evaluation

Hmmm..."son of evaluation". After he was struck blind at the command of Paul for trying to divert the proconsul Sergius Paulus from the faith, he might have done some re-evaluation, but the Bible seems to be silent on it. <!-- sSmile --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- sSmile -->

In Acts 13:8 of the PNT, bar-Shuma is mentioned again, but the bar-Jesus of Acts 13:6 (GNT) is not mentioned again in 13:8.

ASV- "But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith"

Murdock-" And this sorcerer, Bar-Suma, (whose name is interpreted, Elymas,) withstood them; because he wished to divert the proconsul from the faith."

Adam Clarke's commentary has this for 'Elymas'--

"Elymas is from the Arabic ilm, knowledge, science, doctrine, art; from alama, he was wise, skilled, etc.; hence aleem or alymon, a doctor or learned man."

Perhaps this Jewish false prophet was given a level of prowess by Satan and the demons to prognosticate etc.
Many people might have been drawn in by this man and considered him to be wise in insights, foresights, etc.
That might explain why the meaning of bar-Shuma (son of evaluation) and the meaning of Elymas (described by Adam Clarke above as best he could <!-- sSmile --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- sSmile --> ) are on a par with one another..."Bar-Shuma, whose name is interpreted, Elymas"...

The Greek word for 'sorcerer' is different from the Aramaic word in the PNT. The Greek word is μάγος -

Thayer Definition:
1) a magus
1a) the name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc.
1b) the oriental wise men (astrologers) who, having discovered by the rising of a remarkable star that the Messiah had just been born, came to Jerusalem to worship him
1c) a false prophet and sorcerer

The Peshitta uses a word for 'sorcerer' that has a much more narrow use. That word is [font=Estrangelo (V1.1)]04rx[/font]. As opposed to the long list of roles a 'magus' could have filled, 'kharasha' means (1) a magician (2) enchanter (3) sorcerer (4) wizard- according to Smith's Compendious.

Shlama w'Burkate, Larry Kelsey
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Messages In This Thread
Acts 13:6 - by Larry Kelsey - 11-17-2003, 03:28 AM
More to consider... - by Larry Kelsey - 11-17-2003, 03:56 AM
. - by drmlanc - 11-17-2003, 10:39 AM
Re: . - by Larry Kelsey - 11-17-2003, 05:32 PM
. - by drmlanc - 11-17-2003, 09:40 PM

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