and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "making crooked the straight paths of the Lord" is a direct counterpoint to Old Testament prophecy about God's coming kingdom, which would "make the crooked paths straight." By accusing Elymas of perverting these paths, Paul highlights that the sorcerer isn't just causing personal harm, but actively hindering God's redemptive work and the very straightening of ways God promised through his messengers. This reveals Elymas as a cosmic obstructionist, not just a trickster.
and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Paul and Barnabas preach the gospel in Cyprus, they encounter Bar-jesus, a sorcerer who tries to prevent the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus, from believing. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, directly confronts Bar-jesus with a powerful denunciation of his character and actions. This confrontation is a pivotal moment where God’s power is displayed to confirm the truth and expose deception.
Elymas the sorcerer had a name that sounded holy, but his actions were anything but. What's in a name, and how can it hide deception?
A Name That Deceives
Elymas's given name was Bar-Jesus, meaning 'Son of the Lord.' This is a stark contrast to the man Paul calls 'son of the devil.' This wasn't just a simple nickname; it was a deliberate mockery of the divine. It highlights how evil can twist even sacred things to serve its own ends.
The Real Identity Revealed
Paul doesn't just call him 'bad'; he calls him 'full of all deceit and villainy.' The original Greek words paint a vivid picture:
This wasn't just a mistake; it was a fundamental opposition to God's truth.
God's ways are described as 'straight' and 'right.' Why would anyone want to make them crooked, and what does that look like in real life?
The Straight Paths of God
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The 'right ways of the Lord' refer to God's divine order, His plan, His truth, and the way He intends for people to live and come to Him. This imagery is powerfully linked to the Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah 40:4, which speaks of making the crooked paths straight for the Lord's coming. It signifies clarity, directness, and salvation.
The Sorcerer's Twisted Work
Elymas's goal was to 'pervert' these straight paths. He wasn't just disagreeing with Paul and Barnabas; he was actively trying to:
His actions were a direct assault on God's redemptive work, attempting to twist God's simple, saving ways into something convoluted and destructive.
Understand the original words
diabolos · Greek Noun
The supreme adversary of God and humanity, the tempter, and the source of evil, rebellion, and spiritual deception in the world.
dikaiosynē · Greek Noun
Conformity to God’s moral standards and character; it encompasses both internal integrity and external actions that align with God’s holy law.
dolos · Greek Noun
Intentional deception, trickery, or guile; it is the act of presenting falsehood as truth to mislead others.
rhaidiourgia · Greek Noun
An act of moral depravity, wickedness, or the pursuit of illicit gain; it represents a heart that is corrupted and turned against God.
hodos kyriou euthēs · Greek Noun
God’s established ways, commands, and the path of salvation; "straight paths" refers to His clear, honest, and revealed moral and redemptive truth.
Paul's powerful denunciation of Elymas highlights the stark contrast between the deceptive, 'crooked' ways of false teachers and the 'straight' and true path of God's salvation, a confrontation rooted in the real-world struggle between divine truth and deceptive spiritual forces in the Roman province of Cyprus.
c. 47 AD
First Missionary Journey Begins
Barnabas and Paul, commissioned by the Holy Spirit, embark on their first major missionary journey, which includes a significant stop on the island of Cyprus.
c. 47 AD
Arrival in Cyprus
The apostles travel throughout Cyprus, preaching the word of God, particularly in the Jewish synagogues.
c. 47 AD
Encounter with Bar-Jesus (Elymas)
In Paphos, they meet Bar-Jesus, a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet who serves as an advisor to the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus.
c. 47 AD
Proconsul Sergius Paulus Seeks the Word
Sergius Paulus, a man of intellect, calls for Barnabas and Paul to hear the message of God, indicating his openness to the Gospel.
c. 47 AD— this verse
Elymas Resists the Gospel
Elymas actively opposes Barnabas and Paul, attempting to prevent Sergius Paulus from believing in Jesus Christ and turning him away from the Christian faith.
c. 47 AD
Elymas Struck Blind
Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, denounces Elymas and strikes him with blindness as a divine judgment, demonstrating God's power over sorcery.
c. 47 AD
Sergius Paulus Believes
Witnessing the miraculous judgment on Elymas, the proconsul Sergius Paulus is convinced and believes in the teaching of the Lord.
This passage describes the messianic work of preparing the way of the Lord by making the crooked paths straight, directly contrasting with Elymas's actions of perverting the Lord's straight paths.
Proverbs 10:10This verse highlights the danger of those who pervert the ways of the Lord, a concept directly applied by Paul to Elymas's manipulative and deceptive efforts.
Matthew 13:38-39Jesus explains that the enemy who sows weeds is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age, paralleling Paul's identification of Elymas as a 'son of the devil' working to corrupt God's kingdom.
1 John 3:8This verse states that the devil has been sinning from the beginning and that the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil, providing a theological backdrop to Paul's confrontation with someone acting as an agent of the devil.
Romans 1:28The Apostle Paul describes God giving people over to a 'debased mind' when they reject Him, which reflects the spiritual state of Elymas, who is characterized by deceit and opposition to righteousness.
ellicottActs 13:10: "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?"
(10) Full of all subtilty and all mischief. —The Greek of the second noun is found here only in the New Testament. Its primary meaning expresses simply “ease in working;” but this passed through the several stages of “versatility,” “shiftiness,” and “trickery.” A kindred word is translated in Acts 18:14 as “lewdness…
meyerActs 13:10: "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?"
Acts 13:10 . Ῥᾳδιουργίας ] knavery, roguery . Polyb. xii. 10. 5, iv. 29. 4; Plut. Cat. m. 16. Comp. ῥᾳδιούργημα , Acts 18:14 . υἱὲ διαβόλου ] i.e. a man whose condition of mind proceeds from the influence of the devil (the arch-enemy of the kingdom of the Messiah). Comp. on John 8:44 . An indignant contrast to the n…
The phrase "making crooked the straight paths of the Lord" is a direct counterpoint to Old Testament prophecy about God's coming kingdom, which would "make the crooked paths straight." By accusing Elymas of perverting these paths, Paul highlights that the sorcerer isn't just causing personal harm, but actively hindering God's redemptive work and the very straightening of ways God promised through his messengers. This reveals Elymas as a cosmic obstructionist, not just a trickster.
As Paul and Barnabas preach the gospel in Cyprus, they encounter Bar-jesus, a sorcerer who tries to prevent the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus, from believing. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, directly confronts Bar-jesus with a powerful denunciation of his character and actions. This confrontation is a pivotal moment where God’s power is displayed to confirm the truth and expose deception.
As Paul and Barnabas preach the gospel in Cyprus, they encounter Bar-jesus, a sorcerer who tries to prevent the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus, from believing. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, directly confronts Bar-jesus with a powerful denunciation of his character and actions. This confrontation is a pivotal moment where God’s power is displayed to confirm the truth and expose deception.
"and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?" — The phrase "making crooked the straight paths of the Lord" is a direct counterpoint to Old Testament prophecy about God's coming kingdom, which would "make the crooked paths straight." By accusing El…
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Last reviewed October 2026