Paphos

4TH STOP OF PAUL'S FIRST JOURNEY

Cyprus

"When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 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? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord." ACTS 13:6-12

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A CHALLENGE OF AUTHORITY

The western shores of Cyprus welcomed the weary travelers as they completed their journey across the island. Paphos lies before them - a city where the power of Rome is most evident on the island. Paphos was the capital of the Cyprus province, and contained lavish mosaics and opulent buildings, with the worship of Aphrodite still permeating daily life.

Saul, Barnabas, and John Mark made their way through streets crowded with merchants, soldiers, and pilgrims. Unlike Salamis with its significant Jewish population, Paphos presented few familiar entry points for their message. Yet unexpectedly, word reached them that the Roman proconsul himself, Sergius Paulus, who wished to hear them speak. The text describes him as an intelligent man, which the governor had developed an interest in Jewish teachings. Perhaps reports had reached him of the strange new message these Jewish travelers carried across his island, a message causing both conversion and controversy wherever it was proclaimed. The summons brought them into the heart of Roman authority, where their first test emerged.

The modern harbor at Paphos, which lies at the same location as the ancient harbor which Paul sailed from.

WHERE SAUL BECOMES PAUL

Here they discovered another figure who had the governor's ear: Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, a Jewish sorcerer who had attached himself to the Roman official's court. The man's face darkened at their arrival. He recognized immediately the threat these messengers posed to his deceitful position. What followed was a confrontation between kingdoms - between power based on deceit vs. that of truth. As Elymas attempted to turn the proconsul against them, something shifted in Saul. The Scripture records that he was "filled with the Holy Spirit." Looking directly at the sorcerer, he spoke with an authority that silenced the entire court: "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?" No longer was this the careful rabbi carefully building bridges to his audience. Here stood a prophet pronouncing judgment: "The hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind for a time, unable to see the sun." Immediately, mist and darkness fell upon Elymas. The man who had claimed special spiritual insight now groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

The dramatic demonstration of power left the proconsul astonished - not just at the miracle, but at the teaching that accompanied it. Sergius Paulus, who represented the most powerful empire on earth, became a believer that day, acknowledging a kingdom and authority greater than Rome's. Something significant changed in that moment for Saul as well. From this point forward in Luke's account, Saul is called exclusively by his Roman name, Paul. More tellingly, the narrative now describes "Paul and his companions" rather than "Barnabas and Saul." The leadership dynamic had shifted. The confrontation in Paphos marked the moment when the former persecutor fully stepped into his identity as apostle to the Gentiles. Whatever hesitations or uncertainties might have lingered from his former life were left behind in that proconsul's court. As they departed Cyprus, sailing north towards Anatolia, they carried forward a new confidence in their message and mission. The collision of kingdoms had produced its first victory, and the man once known as Saul had found his voice as Paul, apostle to the Roman world.