KJV: And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
YLT: and they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic.
Darby: And they gave heed to him, because that for a long time he had astonished them by his magic arts.
ASV: And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
προσεῖχον | They were giving heed |
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: προσέχω Sense: to bring to, bring near. |
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δὲ | now |
Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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αὐτῷ | to him |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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διὰ | because |
Parse: Preposition Root: διά Sense: through. |
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ἱκανῷ | long |
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular Root: ἱκανός Sense: sufficient. |
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χρόνῳ | time |
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: χρόνος Sense: time either long or short. |
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ταῖς | with the |
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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μαγείαις | magic arts |
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural Root: μαγεία Sense: magic, magic arts, sorceries. |
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ἐξεστακέναι | he had amazed |
Parse: Verb, Perfect Infinitive Active Root: ἐξιστάνω Sense: to throw out of position, displace. |
Greek Commentary for Acts 8:11
Causal use of δια dia with the accusative articular infinitive (perfect active Koiné{[28928]}š form and transitive, εχεστακεναι exestakenai). Same verb as in Acts 8:9 participle εχιστανων existanōn and in Acts 8:13 imperfect passive εχιστατο existato (cf. also Acts 2:7 already). Χρονωι Chronōi is associative instrumental and μαγιαις magiais instrumental case. [source]
Amazed, as Acts 8:9. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 8:11
There was a Bethlehem in Galilee seven miles northwest of Nazareth (Josephus, Antiquities XIX. 15). This Bethlehem (house of bread, the name means) of Judah was the scene of Ruth‘s life with Boaz (Rth 1:1.; Matthew 1:5) and the home of David, descendant of Ruth and ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). David was born here and anointed king by Samuel (1 Samuel 17:12). The town came to be called the city of David (Luke 2:11). Jesus, who was born in this House of Bread called himself the Bread of Life (John 6:35), the true Manna from heaven. Matthew assumes the knowledge of the details of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem which are given in Luke 2:1-7 or did not consider them germane to his purpose. Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem from Nazareth because it was the original family home for both of them. The first enrolment by the Emperor Augustus as the papyri show was by families Possibly Joseph had delayed the journey for some reason till now it approached the time for the birth of the child.In the days of Herod the King (εν ημεραις ηρωιδου του ασιλεως en hēmerais Hērōidou tou Basileōs). This is the only date for the birth of Christ given by Matthew. Luke gives a more precise date in his Gospel (Luke 2:1-3), the time of the first enrolment by Augustus and while Cyrenius was ruler of Syria. More will be said of Luke‘s date when we come to his Gospel. We know from Matthew that Jesus was born while Herod was king, the Herod sometimes called Herod the Great. Josephus makes it plain that Herod died b.c. 4. He was first Governor of Galilee, but had been king of Judaea since b.c. 40 (by Antony and Octavius). I call him “Herod the Great Pervert” in Some Minor Characters in the New Testament. He was great in sin and in cruelty and had won the favour of the Emperor. The story in Josephus is a tragedy. It is not made plain by Matthew how long before the death of Herod Jesus was born. Our traditional date a.d. 1, is certainly wrong as Matthew shows. It seems plain that the birth of Jesus cannot be put later than b.c. 5. The data supplied by Luke probably call for b.c. 6 or 7.Wise men from the east The etymology of Μαγι Magi is quite uncertain. It may come from the same Indo-European root as (megas) magnus, though some find it of Babylonian origin. Herodotus speaks of a tribe of Magi among the Medians. Among the Persians there was a priestly caste of Magi like the Chaldeans in Babylon (Daniel 1:4). Daniel was head of such an order (Daniel 2:48). It is the same word as our “magician” and it sometimes carried that idea as in the case of Simon Magus (Acts 8:9, Acts 8:11) and of Elymas Barjesus (Acts 13:6, Acts 13:8). But here in Matthew the idea seems to be rather that of astrologers. Babylon was the home of astrology, but we only know that the men were from the east whether Arabia, Babylon, Persia, or elsewhere. The notion that they were kings arose from an interpretation of Isaiah 60:3; Revelation 21:24. The idea that they were three in number is due to the mention of three kinds of gifts (gold, frankincense, myrrh), but that is no proof at all. Legend has added to the story that the names were Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior as in Ben Hur and also that they represent Shem, Ham, and Japhet. A casket in the Cologne Cathedral actually is supposed to contain the skulls of these three Magi. The word for east (αποανατολων apo anatolōn) means “from the risings” of the sun. [source]
The etymology of Μαγι Magi is quite uncertain. It may come from the same Indo-European root as (megas) magnus, though some find it of Babylonian origin. Herodotus speaks of a tribe of Magi among the Medians. Among the Persians there was a priestly caste of Magi like the Chaldeans in Babylon (Daniel 1:4). Daniel was head of such an order (Daniel 2:48). It is the same word as our “magician” and it sometimes carried that idea as in the case of Simon Magus (Acts 8:9, Acts 8:11) and of Elymas Barjesus (Acts 13:6, Acts 13:8). But here in Matthew the idea seems to be rather that of astrologers. Babylon was the home of astrology, but we only know that the men were from the east whether Arabia, Babylon, Persia, or elsewhere. The notion that they were kings arose from an interpretation of Isaiah 60:3; Revelation 21:24. The idea that they were three in number is due to the mention of three kinds of gifts (gold, frankincense, myrrh), but that is no proof at all. Legend has added to the story that the names were Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior as in Ben Hur and also that they represent Shem, Ham, and Japhet. A casket in the Cologne Cathedral actually is supposed to contain the skulls of these three Magi. The word for east (αποανατολων apo anatolōn) means “from the risings” of the sun. [source]
For this idiom, see note on Luke 8:27; the note on Luke 20:9; and note on Acts 8:11).He hoped (ηλπιζεν ēlpizen). Imperfect active. He was still hoping. He had long ago gotten over his fright that Jesus was John the Baptist come to life again (Luke 9:7-9).Done Present middle participle. He wanted to see a miracle happening like a stunt of a sleight-of-hand performer. [source]
Literally, “a certain man” The bad sense occurs in Acts 8:9, Acts 8:11 (Simon Magus) and is made plain here by “false prophet.” In Acts 13:8 here Barjesus (Son of Jesus) is called “Elymas the sorcerer (or Magian),” probably his professional title, as Luke interprets the Arabic or Aramaic word Elymas. These Jewish mountebanks were numerous and had great influence with the uneducated. In Acts 19:13 the seven sons of Sceva, Jewish exorcists, tried to imitate Paul. If one is surprised that a man like Sergius Paulus should fall under the influence of this fraud, he should recall what Juvenal says of the Emperor Tiberius “sitting on the rock of Capri with his flock of Chaldaeans around him.” [source]
First aorist active indicative of the double compound verb κατακληρονομεω katȧklērȯnomeō late verb in lxx (Numbers 34:18; Deuteronomy 3:28; Joshua 14:1) and only here in the N.T., to distribute by lot, to distribute as an inheritance. This is the correct reading and not κατεκληροδοτησεν kateklērodotēsen from κατακληροδοτεω kataklērodoteō of the Textus Receptus. These two verbs were confused in the MSS. of the lxx as well as here. For about four hundred and fifty years (ως ετεσιν τετρακοσιοις και πεντηκοντα hōs etesin tetrakosiois kai pentēkonta). Associative instrumental case with an expression of time as in Acts 8:11; Luke 8:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 527). The oldest MSS. (Aleph A B C Vg Sah Boh) place these figures before “after these things” and so in Acts 13:19. This is the true reading and is in agreement with the notation in 1 Kings 6:1. The difficulty found in the Textus Receptus (King James Version) thus disappears with the true text. The four hundred and fifty years runs therefore from the birth of Isaac to the actual conquest of Canaan and does not cover the period of the Judges. See note on Acts 7:6. [source]
Associative instrumental case with an expression of time as in Acts 8:11; Luke 8:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 527). The oldest MSS. (Aleph A B C Vg Sah Boh) place these figures before “after these things” and so in Acts 13:19. This is the true reading and is in agreement with the notation in 1 Kings 6:1. The difficulty found in the Textus Receptus (King James Version) thus disappears with the true text. The four hundred and fifty years runs therefore from the birth of Isaac to the actual conquest of Canaan and does not cover the period of the Judges. See note on Acts 7:6. [source]
First aorist (constative) active participle of προσμενω prosmenō old verb, to remain besides The accusative is extent of time. On Luke‘s frequent use of ικανος hikanos See note on Acts 8:11. It is not certain that this period of “considerable days” which followed the trial before Gallio is included in the year and six months of Acts 18:11 or is in addition to it which is most likely. Vindicated as Paul was, there was no reason for haste in leaving, though he usually left after such a crisis was passed. [source]
Imperfect active as in Acts 8:10, Acts 8:11, there with dative of the person There is an ellipse of νουν noun (mind). They kept on giving heed or holding the mind on the things said by Philip, spell-bound, in a word. [source]
See on worthy, Luke 7:6. The primary meaning is sufficient, and hence comes to be applied to number and quantity; many, enough, as Mark 10:46; Luke 8:32; Acts 9:23, etc. So, long, of time (Acts 8:11; Acts 27:9). Worthy, i.e., sufficient for an honor or a place (Mark 1:7; Luke 7:6; 1 Corinthians 15:9). Adequate (2 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 3:5). Qualified (2 Timothy 2:2). Here the sense might be expressed by for years enough. [source]