And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:
And when they had gone through the isle - `the whole isle,' according to what is clearly the true reading. ['Aleph (') A B C D E, etc., and most ancient versions, have holeen (G3650) before teen (G3588) neeson (G3520); and so Lachmann and Tischendorf.]
Unto Paphos - on the opposite or west side of the island, a distance of a hundred miles along its southern shore; the Roman capital of the island, where the proconsul resided.
They found a certain sorcerer - `a certain man, a sorcerer' or 'magian,' is the true reading х andra (G435) tina (G5100) magon (G3097)],
A false prophet, a Jew (better, 'a Jewish false prophet'), whose name was Bar-jesus, [= bar (H1247) Yªhowshuwa` (H3091)] - i:e., 'son of Jesus' or 'Joshua.' This was one of a numerous class of impostors who at this time of general unbelief were patronized even by cultivated Romans. But the aggravation of this man's case was his being one of God's chosen family, who, by giving himself over to this miserable occupation, virtually proclaimed himself an apostate from the Faith of his fathers; and his nationality is noted here, no doubt, as a brand upon him. By calling him "a false prophet," the historian probably means that he was actuated by a lying spirit, which gives special significance to the expression afterward applied to him-`son of the devil.' And the Arabic name which he took (see the note at Acts 13:8) seems to show, that while wishing to sink his Jewish nationality, he sought that kind of disguise which would give him weight with his dupes.