Greek word · G3097

μάγος

magos

sage

In the biblical period magos covered several things: (1) a member of the hereditary priestly caste of the Medes and Persians, in charge of sacrifices, dream interpretation and sacred lore; (2) more broadly, any Eastern expert in astrology, divination and esoteric learning, often linked with...

Appears 6 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

μάγος, -ου, ὁ

[in LXX for אַשָּׁף, Dan LXX TH Daniel 2:2, 10, al. (cf. chief magian, Jeremiah 39:3, 13) ;]

1. one of the Μάγοι, a Median tribe (Hat).

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 (see DB, I vol., 565 f.; DB, iii, 203 ff.): Matthew 2:1, 7 2:16

3. a wizard, sorcerer: Acts 13:6, 8 (cf. Wisdom of Solomon 17:7, Acts 8:9; ?Acts 8:1).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 2:1

Range of meaning: In the biblical period magos covered several things: (1) a member of the hereditary priestly caste of the Medes and Persians, in charge of sacrifices, dream interpretation and sacred lore; (2) more broadly, any Eastern expert in astrology, divination and esoteric learning, often linked with Babylonian 'Chaldeans'; (3) as an insult, a magician, sorcerer or charlatan. Which sense applies depends on context. BDAG gives both 'a Persian priest/wise man' and 'magician.'
Against the English: KJV, ESV and WEB say 'wise men.' That is defensible but generic, and modern readers hear 'sages' or 'philosophers.' NIV, BSB and NASB use 'Magi/magi,' which keeps the technical term but tells most readers little. YLT's 'mages' is the closest cognate. NLT's footnote 'royal astrologers' says plainly what Matthew's context points to. No English word carries both the respect and the suspicion the Greek word held.
How it drifted: 'Wise men' goes back to early English Bibles (Wycliffe, Tyndale) and became fixed through the KJV. After that, Christian tradition turned the magi into kings, a reading influenced by Psalm 72:10–11 and Isaiah 60:3. Tertullian already calls them 'almost kings' (Against Marcion 3.13). The 'magic' side of the word dropped out of popular awareness, though English 'magic' and 'magician' come from this same word.
Used elsewhere in the period: Herodotus calls the magi a Median tribe (1.101). He describes them interpreting dreams for King Astyages (1.107) and explaining an eclipse (7.37), and says no Persian sacrifice could happen without one (1.132). Strabo (15.3.15) describes Persian magi tending sacred fires. In Greek Daniel, magoi stand beside enchanters and Chaldeans at the Babylonian court (Dan 2:2, 2:10). Daniel himself is made head of that class (Dan 2:48; 4:9; 5:11), which gave Jews a positive model of a 'magus' who honoured Israel's God. Philo separates a true, contemplative 'magic' studied by Persian sages from fraudulent sorcery (Special Laws 3.100). The NT also uses the word negatively: Bar-Jesus/Elymas 'the magos' (Acts 13:6, 8), and Simon 'practising magic' (Acts 8:9). In AD 66 the Armenian king Tiridates, travelling with magi, came west to pay homage to Nero and went home by a different route (Pliny, Natural History 30.16–17; Cassius Dio 63.1–7). This shows such royal visits of homage involving magi were a real thing in the period.

From the study of Matthew 2:16

Range of meaning: Originally a member of the Persian (Median) priestly caste. More broadly, Eastern experts in astrology, dream interpretation and sacred lore. In other contexts, a sorcerer or charlatan (Acts 13:6, 8).
Against the English: KJV and WEB: 'wise men'; YLT: 'mages'; BSB and NIV: 'Magi'. 'Wise men' sounds like generic sages or philosophers and hides that they were foreign, pagan, star-reading specialists. The text never calls them kings and never says there were three.
How it drifted: 'Wise men' goes back to older English translation tradition. 'Kings' and the number three came from later Christian reflection (Ps 72:10–11; Isa 60:3; the three gifts), not from this text.
Used elsewhere in the period: Herodotus (Histories 1.101, 132) describes the magi as a Median tribe with priestly functions. Philo and others use the word both respectfully and negatively. In Daniel the Greek Old Testament uses it alongside Babylonian court diviners (Dan 2:2, 10).

From the study of Acts 13:8

Range of meaning: Originally the name of a Median/Persian priestly caste, famous for astrology, dream-interpretation and ritual. In the Greek and Roman world it widened to (1) a respected expert in astrology and hidden wisdom (the "magi" of Matthew 2) and (2) more often, a magician, someone claiming to control unseen powers by spells, curses and divination. The second sense was frequently an insult, close to "charlatan" or "quack".
Against the English: KJV, BSB and WEB have "sorcerer". ESV and NASB have "magician". YLT has "magian". "Sorcerer" and "magician" are both defensible, but each brings modern baggage: "sorcerer" suggests a fantasy spell-caster or witchcraft, and "magician" a stage conjuror. YLT's "magian" keeps the professional, quasi-priestly sense but sounds obscure.
How it drifted: The modern English "sorcerer" comes from fairy tales, fantasy fiction and later witch-trial categories. It does not call up the picture of a court consultant who read stars and dreams for a Roman official, which is what Elymas was.
Used elsewhere in the period: Herodotus (1.101, 1.107) uses magoi for the Persian priestly tribe that interprets dreams. Matthew 2:1 uses it for star-reading wise men from the East. In LXX Daniel (2:2, 2:10) magoi sit beside enchanters and Chaldeans at the royal court. Acts 8:9–11 describes Simon "practising magic" (mageuōn). Pliny the Elder (Natural History 30.11) mentions a branch of magic traced to "Moses, Jannes, Lotapes and the Jews", and a more recent Cypriot one. Josephus (Antiquities 20.142) names Atomos, a Cypriot Jew "pretending to be a magus", whom the governor Felix used to win Drusilla. Roman emperors and nobles kept astrologers, for example Tiberius and Thrasyllus (Tacitus, Annals 6.20–21).

Where it appears

Matthew · 4

Matthew 2:1 μάγοι Magi

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,

Here: Members of an Eastern priestly-scholarly class, originally Persian, known for reading the stars, interpreting dreams and performing rites. The word could be respectful ('learned priest') or insulting ('sorcerer'). The star in 2:2 shows Matthew means expert star-watchers.
Matthew 2:7 μάγους Magi

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.

Here: The eastern experts who read stars and dreams, originally a Persian priestly class. These are the professional sky-watchers whose report Herod now wants to pin down.
Matthew 2:16 μάγων μάγων.¶ Magi, Magi.

When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

Here: The foreign star-watchers from the East. That foreigners got the better of the king of the Jews deepens the insult.

Acts · 2

Acts 13:6 μάγον magician

They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,

Here: A professional religious specialist (diviner, astrologer, ritual expert) attached to a powerful patron. Here the word clearly carries its negative sense, as v. 8 and Paul's rebuke in v. 10 confirm. See the full study below.
Acts 13:8 μάγος, magician —

But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.

Here: A professional in hidden knowledge: astrology, dream-reading, divination and ritual power. Elite Romans often kept such advisers. Here, after v. 6 calls him a "false prophet", the word carries the negative sense of a manipulative practitioner.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.