Elymas Struck Blind

A sorcerer tried to keep the Roman governor of Cyprus from the gospel. Paul looked him in the eye, and darkness fell on him so that he groped for someone to lead him.

On the first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas crossed the island of Cyprus to Paphos, where the Roman deputy Sergius Paulus wanted to hear the word of God. A Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Barjesus, also called Elymas, withstood them and tried to turn the deputy from the faith. Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, fixed his eyes on him, called him a child of the devil and an enemy of all righteousness, and declared that the hand of the Lord was upon him. Immediately a mist and a darkness fell on Elymas, and he groped about for someone to lead him by the hand. Seeing this, the deputy believed.

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Category: Judgment
Testament: New Testament
Performed by: God through Paul

Key Chapters

Acts 13 Paul's First Missionary Journey 8 min read A sorcerer who tried to blind a seeker to the truth is himself struck blind, and...

Key Passages

The Hand of the Lord Is upon Thee

Acts 13:6-12

A sorcerer who tried to blind a seeker to the truth is himself struck blind, and the Roman deputy believes.

A⁶nd when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

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. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, ¹⁰ And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.