μάγοςmágos
a Magian, i.e. Oriental scientist; by implication, a magician
Greek (New Testament) · G3097
Meanings
1. one of the Μάγοι, a Median tribe.
2. a Magian, one of a sacred caste, originally Median, who seem to have conformed to the Persian religion, while retaining some of their old beliefs: Matthew 2:1, Matthew 2:7, Matthew 2:16.
3. a wizard, sorcerer: Acts 13:6, Acts 13:8 (cf. Wisdom 17:7, Acts 8:9, Acts 8:11).
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 6 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 2:1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
- Matthew 2:7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.
- Matthew 2:16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.
- Acts 13:6 Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
- Acts 13:8 But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.