Somewhat near the Feast of Pentecost, in the year 44, the Apostles started from Seleucia, the nearest seaport to Antioch, arriving, after a few hours' sail, at Salamis, a large city on the coast of Cyprus, the birthplace of St. Barnabas.
They began at once to preach in the synagogues, but with no very marked success; however, neither Jews nor idolaters attacked them, or made any opposition to their teaching, until they came to Paphos.
The governor of the island at that time was Sergius Paulus, who, though a Roman and a pagan, was not content with the false deities he had been taught to worship.
At his court there was a false prophet and sorcerer named Bar-Jesus, who had called himself "Elymas," which signifies "the wise one."
When Sergius Paulus heard of the arrival of the Apostles he sent for them to come to him. Perhaps some hope was roused in his heart of hearing from these strangers some truth which would satisfy him.
When St. Barnabas taught of Christ, Elymas the sorcerer began to deny and contradict his words, until the governor said he knew not whom to believe.
St. Paul, appealing to Heaven, called down the punishment of blindness upon this impious man, which so strongly impressed Sergius Paulus with belief in the power of God, that he at once avowed himself a Christian.
"Oh, full of all guile"—thus had the Apostle addressed the sorcerer—"Oh, full of all guile and of all deceit, child of the devil, enemy of all justice, thou ceasest not to pervert the right ways of the Lord. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a time."