SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:7
el cual estaba con el procnsul Sergio Paulo, varn prudente. Este, llamando a Bernab y a Saulo, deseaba oír la Palabra de Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 13:7
Verse 7. The deputy of the country] anqupatw, 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] andri sunetw, 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. Which was with the deputy of the country , etc. Or the Roman governor of the island; who very likely dwelt at Paphos, it being a principal, if not the principal city in the island, since Pliny mentions it first of all the cities in it, as before observed: and with this governor, or proconsul, as the word signifies, or rather praetor, Bar-jesus was: either he lived with him, making great pretensions to knowledge and learning, which the governor might be a favourer of, or in quality of a physician; the Ethiopic version adds, and he was a servant of the governor; or he might be only with him occasionally and accidentally, just at that time, though the former seems most likely: and the name of this deputy was Sergius Paulus; the name of Paulus was common among the Romans; Pliny the younger speaks of one Passienus Paulus, a famous Roman knight, and very learned, who wrote elegies; and Trajan f627 , in an epistle to him, makes mention of Paulus the proconsul; and Pliny the older, among his authors from whom he compiled his history, cites one of this very name, Sergius Paulus f628 . The island of Cyprus was at this time in the hands of the Romans, and this man was the governor of it; it was first inhabited by some of the sons of Japhet; Josephus assigns it to Cittim: Cittim, he says, had the island Chetima, which now is called Cyprus; and from it all the islands, and most places about the sea, are called Chethim by the Hebrews; and as a proof of what I say, (adds he,) one of the cities in Cyprus still retains the name; for it is called Citium by those who have made it Greek, and not much differing from the name Chethimus.
After the Trojan war, it came into the hands of the Grecians; and continued with them from the times of Teucer, until Evagoras and his son Nicocles; and then it fell into the hands of the Romans, and through them to the kings of Egypt; and after them became a Roman colony, in the following manner: Clodius Pulcher condemned Cyprus to the Roman people, to possess which Cato being sent, Ptolomy the king of the island, having cast his money into the sea, prevented the ignominy of it by a voluntary death, Anno U. C. 698 f630 . The Roman historian says f631 , Cyprus being conquered, the glory of it was not assigned to any, seeing it was made a province by the decree of the senate, by the means of Cato, through the death of the king, which he brought upon himself; and from that time, as Strabo says f632 , it became a praetorian province, and was now governed by a praetor, though he is called a deputy, or proconsul; the reason of which Dr. Hammond thinks was, because that P. Lentulus, Ap. Claudius, and M.
Cicero, being proconsuls of Cilicia, had the administration of Cyprus also granted to them by the senate; hence afterwards the governors of Cyprus were called proconsuls, or deputies. This same Greek word here used, is adopted by the Jewish Rabbins into their language; hence we read of ajwpyjna anyupatov , the deputy, or proconsul of Caesarea f633 ; which is explained by a governor, and a judge or a third from the king f635 ; and it is refined in the Syriac version: this deputy is said to be a prudent man. The Arabic version seems to distinguish Paul the prudent man, from Sergius the deputy, or tribune, as it calls him; reading the words thus, who was by Sergius the tribune, with Paul a prudent man; but Sergius and Paulus undoubtedly design one and the same man, who was prudent: he is said to be a prudent man, in the management of his affairs, as a governor; and might be very learned, ingenious, and an understanding man; a man of great sagacity and penetration, who very likely saw through the vain pretensions, and impostures of Bar-jesus, and was desirous to expose him in a public manner; or at least might conclude he would be discovered and exposed by those good men, who were come into the city; and what follows seems to be mentioned as an instance of his prudence: who called for Barnabas and Saul ; sent messengers to them, to desire them to come to him; Barnabas is mentioned first, though the inferior person, because he was a native of the country, and might be best known: and desired to hear the word of God ; whether this was at first from mere curiosity, or from any political view, or from a true desire of knowing the way of life and salvation, which might be wrought in his soul by the Spirit of God, is not certain; though the latter seems most likely, since it issued in his conversion.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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. Sau was his name as he was a Hebrew; Paul was his name as he was a citize of Rome. Under the direct influence of the Holy Ghost, he gave Elyma his true character, but not in passion. A fulness of deceit an mischief together, make a man indeed a child of the devil. And thos who are enemies to the doctrine of Jesus, are enemies to all righteousness; for in it all righteousness is fulfilled. The ways of the Lord Jesus are the only right ways to heaven and happiness. Ther are many who not only wander from these ways themselves, but set other against these ways. They commonly are so hardened, that they will no cease to do evil. The proconsul was astonished at the force of the doctrine upon his own heart and conscience, and at the power of God by which it was confirmed. The doctrine of Christ astonishes; and the mor we know of it, the more reason we shall see to wonder at it. Those wh put their hand to the plough and look back, are not fit for the kingdo of God. Those who are not prepared to face opposition, and to endur hardship, are not fitted for the work of the ministry.
Greek Textus Receptus
ος 3739 R-NSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S συν 4862 PREP τω 3588 T-DSM ανθυπατω 446 N-DSM σεργιω 4588 N-DSM παυλω 3972 N-DSM ανδρι 435 N-DSM συνετω 4908 A-DSM ουτος 3778 D-NSM προσκαλεσαμενος 4341 5666 V-ADP-NSM βαρναβαν 921 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ σαυλον 4569 N-ASM επεζητησεν 1934 5656 V-AAI-3S ακουσαι 191 5658 V-AAN τον 3588 T-ASM λογον 3056 N-ASM του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. The deputy (anqupatw). Better, Rev., proconsul. See Introduction to Luke, on Luke's accuracy in designating public officers.Sergius Paulus. Di Cesnola relates the discovery at Soli, which, next to Salamis, was the most important city in the island, of a slab with a Greek inscription containing the name of Paulus, proconsul.
Prudent (sunetw). Better, as Rev., a man of understanding. See on Matt. xi. 25.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
13:7 {With the proconsul Sergius Paulus} (sun t"i anthupat"i Sergi"i Paul"i). Luke used to be sharply criticized for applying this term to Sergius Paulus on the ground that Cyprus was a province under the appointment of the emperor with the title of propraetor and not under the control of the senate with the title of proconsul. That was true B.C. 30, but five years later it was changed to proconsul by Augustus and put under the control of the Senate. Two inscriptions have been found with the date A.D. 51 and 52 with the names of proconsuls of Cyprus and one is in the Cesnola Collection, an inscription found at Soli with the name of Paulus as Proconsul, undoubtedly this very man, though no date occurs. {A man of understanding} (andri sunetwi). All the more amazing that he should be a victim of Barjesus. He had given up idolatry at any rate and was eager to hear Barnabas and Saul.
