Sergius Paulus

Biblical Account

Sergius Paulus appears only in Acts 13:4-12. His name occurs only once, in Acts 13:7; thereafter he is called simply "the deputy," that is, the proconsul.

Sent out by the church at Antioch, Barnabas and Saul sailed to the island of Cyprus. They traveled across the island from Salamis in the east to Paphos in the west. There they met Bar-jesus, also called Elymas, a Jewish false prophet and sorcerer who was in the company of the proconsul Sergius Paulus. Scripture describes the proconsul as "a prudent man" (Acts 13:7, KJV). He summoned Barnabas and Saul because he "desired to hear the word of God."

Elymas opposed the two men and sought to keep the proconsul from believing. Saul, filled with the Holy Spirit, then rebuked him, and Elymas was struck blind for a time. The text records the proconsul's response: "Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord" (Acts 13:12, KJV). Scripture says nothing further about Sergius Paulus.

Significance Within Scripture

This episode is the first event recorded in detail on Paul's first missionary journey. It is read as an example of a high-ranking Gentile official receiving the gospel. Acts 13:9 also contains the first occurrence of the phrase "Saul, (who also is called Paul,)" (KJV). From this point on, Acts consistently calls him Paul, and the order of the names generally shifts to "Paul and Barnabas." For these reasons, many interpreters regard the passage as a turning point in Paul's ministry.

The Greek term rendered "deputy" in the KJV corresponds to proconsul, the title of the governor of a senatorial province. Cyprus is known to have been such a province at the time. The title is therefore often cited as evidence that Luke wrote with accurate knowledge of the administrative system of his day.

Interpretation and Debated Questions

• Nature of his conversion: The text states only that the proconsul "believed" and does not mention that he received baptism. Interpreters are therefore divided over whether he became a full believer or was merely impressed by the teaching.
• The name Paul: An interpretation dating back to antiquity holds that Saul came to be called Paul after this proconsul. Many scholars, however, hold that Saul, as a Roman citizen, bore the Roman name "Paul" from the beginning.
• Sources outside Scripture: Some scholars connect inscriptions from Rome and elsewhere that mention a "Sergius Paullus" with this proconsul or his family. Whether they refer to the same person has not been established. Nor does Scripture contain any account of his later life.

In the Korean Church

In Korean preaching, Sergius Paulus is usually mentioned in sermons on Acts 13. Common emphases include the proconsul's eagerness to hear the word, his contrast with Elymas, who hindered the gospel, and the scene in which Saul begins to be called Paul. In Sunday schools, he is often introduced in lessons on Paul's first missionary journey.