Acts 19
19
Paul in Ephesus
1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul travelled through the interior of the province and arrived in Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
“We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit,” they answered.
3“Well, then, what kind of baptism did you receive?” Paul asked.
“The baptism of John,” they answered.
4 #
Mt 3.11; Mk 1.4, 7–8; Lk 3.4, 16; Jn 1.26–27 Paul said, “The baptism of John was for those who turned from their sins; and he told the people of Israel to believe in the one who was coming after him — that is, in Jesus.”
5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6Paul placed his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them; they spoke in strange tongues and also proclaimed God's message. 7They were about twelve men in all.
8Paul went into the synagogue and during three months spoke boldly with the people, holding discussions with them and trying to convince them about the Kingdom of God. 9But some of them were stubborn and would not believe, and before the whole group they said evil things about the Way of the Lord. So Paul left them and took the believers with him, and every day#19.9 Some manuscripts add from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. he held discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This went on for two years, so that all the people who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of the Lord.
The Sons of Sceva
11God was performing unusual miracles through Paul. 12Even handkerchiefs and aprons he had used were taken to those who were ill, and their diseases were driven away, and the evil spirits would go out of them. 13Some Jews who travelled round and drove out evil spirits also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to do this. They said to the evil spirits, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches.” 14Seven brothers, who were the sons of a Jewish High Priest named Sceva, were doing this.
15But the evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul; but you — who are you?”
16The man who had the evil spirit in him attacked them with such violence that he overpowered them all. They ran away from his house, wounded and with their clothes torn off. 17All the Jews and Gentiles who lived in Ephesus heard about this; they were all filled with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was given greater honour. 18Many of the believers came, publicly admitting and revealing what they had done. 19Many of those who had practised magic brought their books together and burnt them in public. They added up the price of the books, and the total came to 50,000 silver coins.#19.19 silver coins: A silver coin was the daily wage of a rural worker (see Mt 20.2). 20In this powerful way the word of the Lord#19.20 In this… Lord; or And so, by the power of the Lord, the message. kept spreading and growing stronger.
The Riot in Ephesus
21After these things had happened, Paul made up his mind#19.21 Paul made up his mind; or Paul, led by the Spirit, decided. to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go on to Jerusalem. “After I go there,” he said, “I must also see Rome.” 22So he sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia, while he spent more time in the province of Asia.
23It was at this time that there was serious trouble in Ephesus because of the Way of the Lord. 24A certain silversmith named Demetrius made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis, and his business brought a great deal of profit to the workers. 25So he called them all together with others whose work was like theirs and said to them, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this work. 26Now, you can see and hear for yourselves what this fellow Paul is doing. He says that gods made by human hands are not gods at all, and he has succeeded in convincing many people, both here in Ephesus and in nearly the whole province of Asia. 27There is the danger, then, that this business of ours will get a bad name. Not only that, but there is also the danger that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will come to mean nothing and that her greatness will be destroyed — the goddess worshipped by everyone in Asia and in all the world!”
28As the crowd heard these words, they became furious and started shouting, “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!” 29The uproar spread throughout the whole city. The mob seized Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were travelling with Paul, and rushed with them to the theatre. 30Paul himself wanted to go before the crowd, but the believers would not let him. 31Some of the provincial authorities, who were his friends, also sent him a message begging him not to show himself in the theatre. 32Meanwhile the whole meeting was in an uproar: some people were shouting one thing, others were shouting something else, because most of them did not even know why they had come together. 33Some of the people concluded that Alexander was responsible, since the Jews made him go up to the front. Then Alexander motioned with his hand for the people to be silent, and he tried to make a speech of defence. 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted together the same thing for two hours: “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!”
35At last the town clerk was able to calm the crowd. “Fellow-Ephesians!” he said. “Everyone knows that the city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the sacred stone that fell down from heaven. 36Nobody can deny these things. So then, you must calm down and not do anything reckless. 37You have brought these men here even though they have not robbed temples or said evil things about our goddess. 38If Demetrius and his workers have an accusation against anyone, we have the authorities and the regular days for court; charges can be made there. 39But if there is something more that you want, it will have to be settled in a legal meeting of citizens. 40For after what has happened today, there is the danger that we will be accused of a riot. There is no excuse for all this uproar, and we would not be able to give a good reason for it.” 41After saying this, he dismissed the meeting.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Acts 19
19
Paul at Ephesus
1It happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper [inland] districts and came down to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [in Jesus as the Christ]?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3And he asked, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior].” 5After hearing this, they were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesying. 7There were about twelve men in all.
8And he went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient [to the word of God], discrediting and speaking evil of #19:9 See John 14:6.the Way (Jesus, Christianity) before the congregation, Paul left them, taking the disciples with him, and went on holding #19:9 One Greek manuscript says Paul used the lecture hall from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus [instead of in the synagogue]. 10This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], Jews as well as Greeks, heard the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].
Miracles at Ephesus
11God was doing extraordinary and unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs or face-towels or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out [of them]. 13Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I implore you and solemnly command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 14Seven sons of one [named] Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15But the evil spirit retorted, “I know and recognize and acknowledge Jesus, and I know about Paul, but as for you, who are you?” 16Then the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued #19:16 Or both.all of them and overpowered them, so that they ran out of that house [in terror, stripped] naked and wounded. 17This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and exalted. 18Many of those who had become believers were coming, confessing and disclosing their [former sinful] practices. 19And many of those who had practiced magical arts collected their books and [throwing book after book on the pile] began burning them in front of everyone. They calculated their value and found it to be #19:19 Each piece, possibly a drachma, may have been about a day’s wage.50,000 pieces of silver. 20So the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] was growing greatly and prevailing.
21Now after these events, Paul determined in the Spirit that he would travel through #19:21 This was a lengthy, circular route for one headed to Jerusalem.Macedonia and Achaia (most of the Greek mainland), and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome [and preach the good news of salvation].” 22And after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and #19:22 This name is also mentioned in Rom 16:23 and 2 Tim 4:20, but it is uncertain if the references are to the same man. In 1929, a mid-first century inscription was found in Corinth identifying Erastus as the one who paid for an area of pavement in the city square, in return for his appointment as an Aedile (a Roman official responsible for public works and festivals, and empowered to maintain public order).Erastus, to Macedonia [ahead of him], he stayed on in [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor] for a while.
23About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way (Jesus, Christianity). 24Now a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [the goddess] Artemis (Diana), was bringing no small profit to the craftsmen. 25These [craftsmen] he called together, along with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you are well aware that we make a good living from this business. 26You see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but almost all over [the province of] Asia, this Paul has persuaded [people to believe his teaching] and has misled a large number of people, claiming that gods made by [human] hands are not really gods at all. 27Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will be discredited, but also that the [magnificent] #19:27 The temple of Artemis at Ephesus served as the primary center of worship for her followers.temple of the great goddess #19:27 Lat Diana in Roman mythology.Artemis will be discredited, and that she whom all Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned and lose her glorious magnificence.”
28When they heard this, they were filled with rage, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29Then the city was filled with confusion; and people rushed together [as a group] into the amphitheater, dragging along with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. 30Paul wanted to go into the [pagan] assembly, but the disciples would not let him. 31Even some of the Asiarchs (officials) who were his friends sent word to him and repeatedly warned him not to venture into the amphitheater. 32Now some shouted one thing and some another, for the gathering was in confusion and most of the people did not know #19:32 Or on whose account.why they had come together. 33Some of the crowd advised Alexander [to speak], since the Jews had pushed him forward; and Alexander motioned with his hand [for attention] and intended to make a defense to the people. 34But when they realized that he was a Jew, a single outcry went up from the crowd as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35After the town #19:35 A high ranking official in the town, perhaps more like a mayor than a town clerk. He would have served as a representative between Ephesus and the governing Roman authorities.clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of that [#19:35 Perhaps a meteorite.sacred stone image of her] which fell from the sky? 36So, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and stay calm and not do anything rash. 37For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another there. 39But if you want anything beyond this, it will be settled in the lawful assembly. 40For we are running the risk of being accused of rioting in regard to today’s events, and since there is no reason for it, we will be unable to give an account and justify this disorderly gathering.” 41And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
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