Are Bar-Jesus and Elymas the same person?
Same man in Acts 13. Two names from different roots. Bar-Jesus means son of Joshua. Elymas is a title for a sorcerer — not a translation of Jesus.
Luke confronts one sorcerer with two names. Bar-Jesus is a Jewish patronymic: son of Joshua / Yeshua.
Elymas comes from a root meaning wise or learned. It functions like magos — sorcerer. Luke says ‘that is what his name means’ about Elymas, not about Bar-Jesus.
There is no linguistic bridge from Elymas to the Greek name Iēsous.
Verses
- Acts 13:6-12 — Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas the sorcerer.
A next step. When a name in Acts confuses you, ask whether it is a family name or a title.