Elymas

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Arabic ( Alim , "wise," related to Ulema ) for Barjesus, the Jew sorcerer associated with Sergius Paulus. proconsul of Cyprus at Paul's visit ( Acts 13:6, etc.). Struck blind for "seeking to turn away the deputy (proconsul) from the faith." As he opposed the gospel light, in significant retribution he lost the natural light. Contrast Paul's simultaneously receiving sight and the Holy Spirit ( Acts 9:17). As belief in religion declined under the Roman empire, belief in eastern magic increased.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A Jewish sorcerer in the retinue of Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul at Paphos in Cyprus. He was sharply reproved by Paul, and struck with instant blindness for opposing the religious inquiries of the proconsul, who was abandoning idolatry and superstition, and embracing the gospel,  Acts 13:6-12 . His blindness was to continue "for a season," and may have led to his spiritual illumination.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

A name signifying 'magician,' applied to Bar-Jesus a Jew. He was a false prophet and sorcerer, at Paphos in Cyprus, and sought to turn away the proconsul from the faith. He was for a time smitten with blindness.  Acts 13:6-12 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

El'ymas. (A Wise Man). The Arabic name of the Jewish magus or sorcerer, Bar-jesus.  Acts 13:6 ff. (A.D. 44).

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

The sorcerer. His name answers to the character, for it means magician. ( Acts 13:8)

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Acts 13:6-11Paul

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Acts 13:11

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Elymas . See Bar-jesus.

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

See Bar-Jesus.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Ε᾿Λύμας ), an appellative commonly derived from the Arabic Aliman ("A Wise Man," see Pfeiffer, Dubia Vex. page 941; like the Turkish title Ulema, see Lakemacher, De Elyma Mago, in his Observatt. 2:162), which Luke interprets by Ὸ Μάγος , the Magian or "sorcerer:" it is applied to a Jew named BAR-JESUS, who had attached himself to the proconsul of Cyprus, Sergius Paulus, when Paul visited the island ( Acts 13:6 sq.). A.D. 44. On his attempting to dissuade the proconsul from embracing the Christian faith, he was struck with miraculous blindness by the apostle (see Neander's History of first Planting of the Christian Church, 1:125). A very different but less probable derivation of the word is given by Lightfoot in his Hebrew and Talmudical Exercitations on the Acts (Works, 8:461), and in his Sermon on Elymas the Sorcerer (Works, 7:104). Chrysostom observes, in reference to the blindness inflicted by the apostle on Bar-Jesus, that the limiting clause, for a season, "shows that it was not intended so much for the punishment of the sorcerer as for the conversion of the deputy (Chrysost. in Acta Apost. Homeil. 28; Opera, 9:241). On the practice generally then prevailing, in the decay of faith, of consulting Oriental impostors of this kind, see Conybeare and Howson, Life of St. Paul, 1:177-180, 2d ed. (See Magic).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

El´ymas, an appellative supposed to mean a wise man, applied to a Jew named Bar-Jesus, mentioned in . Chrysostom observes, in reference to the blindness inflicted by the Apostle on Bar-Jesus, that the limiting clause 'for a season,' shows that it was not intended so much for the punishment of the sorcerer as for the conversion of the deputy.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

el´i - mas ( Ἐλύμας , Elúmas , "wise";  Acts 13:8 ). See Bar-Jesus .