Paul's Name Changed From Saul to Nickname, "Undoer of Sorcery"--Paul

In Acts 13:8 Saul encountered "Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation)." The sorcerer was NOT called Elymas the sorcerer, for that would be "sorcerer the sorcerer." He was just called Elymas, which meant "the sorcerer." Victor Alexander has an interesting note here supposedly related to the Aramaic text, which is that the name Paulus means "undoer of sorcery."

So while the one guy was called "the sorcerer," the other, Saul, was called "the undoer of sorcery"--Paul. Apparently the nickname stuck.

Note: the original Saul was a mad king, as we all are in this sorcery we are born into.