Who was Sergius Paulus in the Bible?

Sergius Paulus was the Roman proconsul (governor) of the island of Cyprus. He is described in the book of Acts as an intelligent man who summoned Barnabas and Saul to hear the word of God (Acts 13:7).

What is the significance of Sergius Paulus's conversion?

His conversion is significant as a major early victory for the gospel among high-ranking Roman officials. After witnessing Paul strike the sorcerer Elymas with blindness, Sergius Paulus believed, being astonished at the teaching about the Lord (Acts 13:12).

What happened between Paul and Sergius Paulus?

Sergius Paulus listened to Paul and Barnabas, but was opposed by his court sorcerer, Elymas. Paul confronted Elymas, calling him a 'child of the devil,' and struck him blind, which led the proconsul to believe in the gospel (Acts 13:8-12).

Sergius Paulus

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Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus, was an intelligent man who sought to hear the word of God and believed after witnessing Paul's confrontation with Elymas the sorcerer.

Sergius Paulus

Biography

Sergius Paulus was the Roman proconsul governing the island of Cyprus when Paul and Barnabas arrived there during the first missionary journey, around AD 46-47 (Acts 13:7-12). Luke describes him as an intelligent man who summoned Paul and Barnabas specifically because he desired to hear the word of God. His household included Elymas Bar-Jesus, a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet who sought to prevent the proconsul from hearing the gospel. When Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, rebuked Elymas and pronounced temporary blindness upon him, Sergius Paulus witnessed the immediate fulfillment of the apostolic word and believed, astonished at the teaching of the Lord. He thus became one of the earliest Roman officials to embrace the Christian faith, a harbinger of the gospel's eventual penetration of the Roman imperial establishment.

Significance

The conversion of Sergius Paulus holds considerable theological and historical significance. As a senior Roman official of senatorial rank, his faith demonstrated that the gospel transcended social and political boundaries, fulfilling Jesus' promise that the Spirit would empower witness before rulers and authorities (Acts 1:8; Luke 21:12-15). His open-minded inquiry, seeking the word of God despite having access to a court sorcerer, contrasts sharply with Elymas's opposition and models genuine intellectual receptivity to divine truth. The episode also marks a turning point in Acts: immediately following this account, Paul takes the leading role in the missionary narrative, suggesting that the encounter with Sergius Paulus inaugurated a new, bolder phase of the Gentile mission.

Verse Appearances (1)

Acts

Acts 13:7

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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