Acts 13:8

‘But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.'

However, Bar-jesus, or Elymas as he could be called, withstood them and sought to bring up opposition against what they were saying. he wanted to convince Paulus that they were a bad lot. We must presume from Saul's reaction that his methods were underhand and deceitful. His sole aim appears to have been in order to prevent the pro-consul from listening. He was not simply presenting an opposing viewpoint. ‘Elymas' possibly comes from a Semitic root meaning ‘sage' or ‘wise man' (compare Arabic ‘alim' - ‘wise'). It was probably therefore his ‘professional name'. Luke probably does not mean that Elymas is an interpretation of Bar-jesus but of ‘sorcerer' (wise man).