Villains: Bar-Jesus the Magician
While Paul and Barnabas were preaching on the island of Cyprus, they had the opportunity to share the Good News with the governor, but Bar-Jesus (a magician and “Jewish false prophet”) opposed them. In one of the strongest statements of Acts, Paul said to Bar-Jesus, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” The church must be able to recognize and call out false teaching that blinds people to the truth of the Gospel. We must speak truth and trust that the truth will always prevail against lies. (Scripture: Acts 13:6-12)