Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Of all guile (pantov dolou). From delw, to catch with bait, old word, already seen in Matthew 26:4; Mark 7:22; Mark 14:1. Paul denounces Elymas as a trickster.
All villainy (pashv raidiourgiav). Late compound from raidiourgov (raidiov, easy, facile, ergon, deed, one who does a thing adroitly and with ease). So levity in Xenophon and unscrupulousness in Polybius, Plutarch, and the papyri. Only here in the N.T., though the kindred word raidiourghma occurs in Acts 18:14. With deadly accuracy Paul pictured this slick rascal.
Thou son of the devil (uie diabolou). Damning phrase like that used by Jesus of the Pharisees in John 8:44, a slanderer like the diabolov. This use of son (uiov) for characteristic occurs in Acts 3:25; Acts 4:36, a common Hebrew idiom, and may be used purposely by Paul in contrast with the name Barjesus (son of Jesus) that Elymas bore (Acts 13:6).
Enemy of all righteousness (exqre pashv dikaiosunhv). Personal enemy to all justice, sums up all the rest. Note triple use of "all" (pantos, pashs, pashv), total depravity in every sense.
Wilt thou not cease? (ou paush). An impatient rhetorical question, almost volitive in force (Robertson, Grammar, p. 874). Note ou, not mh,
To pervert (diastrefwn). Present active participle describing the actual work of Elymas as a perverter or distorter (see verse Acts 13:8). More exactly, Wilt thou not cease perverting?
The right ways of the Lord (tav odouv tou kuriou tav euqeiav). The ways of the Lord the straight ones as opposed to the crooked ways of men (Isaiah 40:4; Isaiah 42:16; Luke 3:5). The task of John the Baptist as of all prophets and preachers is to make crooked paths straight and to get men to walk in them. This false prophet was making even the Lord's straight ways crooked. Elymas has many successors.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Luke 23:2
Acts 8:9
Acts 20:30
Philippians 2:15
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