"(1) a magus, sage of the magician religion, magician, astrologer, wise man, Mt. 2:1, 7, 16; (2) a magician, sorcerer, Acts 13:6, 8*"
Definition and meaning
(1) a magus, sage of the magician religion, magician, astrologer, wise man, Mt. 2:1, 7, 16; (2) a magician, sorcerer, Acts 13:6, 8*
In the original Greek the word is written: μάγος
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of magos (G3097) across the King James Bible.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
But Elymas the sorcerer(for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
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Common questions
Strong's G3097 (magos) is a Greek word that means: (1) a magus, sage of the magician religion, magician, astrologer, wise man, Mt. 2:1, 7, 16; (2) a magician, sorcerer, Acts 13:6, 8* It appears 5 times in the King James Bible.
The word magos (G3097) appears 5 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3097 is magos, a Greek word defined as: (1) a magus, sage of the magician religion, magician, astrologer, wise man, Mt. 2:1, 7, 16; (2) a magician, sorcerer, Acts 13:6, 8*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
magos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.