Acts 19
19
Paul in Ephesus
1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior provinces to get to the city of Ephesus. He met some disciples in Ephesus 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
They answered him, “No, we’ve never even heard of the Holy Spirit.”
3Paul asked them, “What kind of baptism did you have?”
They answered, “John’s baptism.”
4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance.#19:4 “Repentance” is turning to God with a complete change in the way a person thinks and acts. John told people to believe in Jesus, who was coming later.”
5After they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came to them, and they began to talk in other languages and to speak what God had revealed. 7About twelve men were in the group.
8For three months Paul would go into the synagogue and speak boldly. He had discussions with people to convince them about God’s kingdom. 9But when some people became stubborn, refused to believe, and had nothing good to say in front of the crowd about the way ⌞of Christ⌟, he left them. He took his disciples and held daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This continued for two years so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
11God worked unusual miracles through Paul. 12People would take handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s skin to those who were sick. Their sicknesses would be cured, and evil spirits would leave them.
13Some Jews used to travel from place to place and force evil spirits out of people. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to force evil spirits out of those who were possessed. These Jews would say, “I order you ⌞to come out⌟ in the name of Jesus, whom Paul talks about.” 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
15But the evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I’m acquainted with Paul, but who are you?” 16Then the man possessed by the evil spirit attacked them. He beat them up so badly that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.
17All the Jews and Greeks living in the city of Ephesus heard about this. All of them were filled with awe for the name of the Lord Jesus and began to speak very highly about it. 18Many believers openly admitted their involvement with magical spells and told all the details. 19Many of those who were involved in the occult gathered their books and burned them in front of everyone. They added up the cost of these books and found that they were worth 50,000 silver coins. 20In this powerful way the word of the Lord was spreading and gaining strength.
21After all these things had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem by traveling through Macedonia and Greece. He said, “After I have been there, I must see Rome.” 22So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed longer in the province of Asia.
A Riot in Ephesus
23During that time a serious disturbance concerning the way ⌞of Christ⌟ broke out in the city of Ephesus.
24Demetrius, a silversmith, was in the business of making silver models of the temple of Artemis. His business brought a huge profit for the men who worked for him. 25He called a meeting of his workers and others who did similar work. Demetrius said, “Men, you know that we’re earning a good income from this business, 26and you see and hear what this man Paul has done. He has won over a large crowd that follows him not only in Ephesus but also throughout the province of Asia. He tells people that gods made by humans are not gods. 27There’s a danger that people will discredit our line of work, and there’s a danger that people will think that the temple of the great goddess Artemis is nothing. Then she whom all Asia and the rest of the world worship will be robbed of her glory.”
28When Demetrius’ workers and the others heard this, they became furious and began shouting, “Artemis of the Ephesians is great!” 29The confusion spread throughout the city, and the people had one thought in mind as they rushed into the theater. They grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who traveled with Paul, and they dragged the two men into the theater with them.
30Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but his disciples wouldn’t let him. 31Even some officials who were from the province of Asia and who were Paul’s friends sent messengers to urge him not to risk going into the theater.
32Some people shouted one thing while others shouted something else. The crowd was confused. Most of the people didn’t even know why they had come together. 33Some people concluded that Alexander was the cause, so the Jews pushed him to the front. Alexander motioned with his hand to quiet the people because he wanted to defend himself in front of them. 34But when they recognized that Alexander was a Jew, everyone started to shout in unison, “Artemis of the Ephesians is great!” They kept doing this for about two hours.
35The city clerk finally quieted the crowd. Then he said, “Citizens of Ephesus, everyone knows that this city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis. Everyone knows that Ephesus is the keeper of the statue that fell down from Zeus. 36No one can deny this. So you have to be quiet and not do anything foolish. 37The men you brought here don’t rob temples or insult our goddess. 38If Demetrius and the men who work for him have a legal complaint against anyone, we have special days and officials to hold court. That’s where they should bring charges against each other. 39If you want anything else, you must settle the matter in a legal assembly. 40At this moment we run the risk of being accused of rioting today for no reason. We won’t be able to explain this mob.” 41After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.#19:41 Acts 19:41 in English Bibles is Acts 19:40b in the Greek Bible.
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Acts 19: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Gevurot Meyruach Hakodesh 19
19
1And it came about while Rav Apollos was in Corinth that Rav Sha'ul traveled through the upper regions and arrived at Ephesus, finding some of#19:1 Moshiachʼs talmidim there.
2And Rav Sha'ul said to them, Did you receive the Ruach Hakodesh when you came to emunah? But they said to Rav Sha'ul, But we never heard that there is a Ruach Hakodesh!
3And Rav Sha'ul said, Into what then were you given tevilah? And they said, Into the tevilah of Yochanan.
4And Rav Sha'ul said, Yochanan gave a tevilah of teshuva to the people, saying that they should have emunah in Hu HaBah,#19:4 Moshiach the one coming after him, that is, in Yehoshua.#19:4 Lk 3:16
5And having heard this, they were given Moshiachʼs tevilah of teshuva in haShem of the Moshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua.
6And when Rav Sha'ul placed his hands upon them, the Ruach Hakodesh came upon them, and they were speaking in leshonot and they were speaking devarim hanevu'ah.
7And the anashim were about sheneym asar in number.
8And having joined the minyan at the shul, Rav Sha'ul was speaking with ometz lev during the course of shloshah chodashim, debating and persuading concerning the things of the Malchut Hashem.
9But when some unbelievers in the shul were being hardened and were disobeying, speaking Chillul Hashem of the Derech Hashem before the multitude, Rav Sha'ul withdrew from them. Rav Sha'ul took the Moshiachʼs talmidim and yom yom was saying shiurim in the [Messianic] yeshiva of Tyrannus.
10And this happened over a period of two years with the intended result that all the ones inhabiting#19:10 the Roman Province of Asia heard the dvar Hashem, both Yehudim and Yevanim.
11And gevaltike moftim and niflaot Hashem effected at the hands of Rav Sha'ul,
12so that when a handkerchief or an apron touched the skin of Rav Sha'ul and was brought to the cholim, the machlot (sicknesses) and the shedim (demons) left them.
13And some traveling Jewish exorcists attempted to use haShem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua over the ones possessed of ruchot ra'ot, saying, I exorcize and cast you out by the Yehoshua whom Rav Sha'ul preaches!
14And there were doing this very thing shivat banim of a certain Skeva, a Jewish “Kohen Gadol.”
15And in reply the ruach hara'ah (the shed, demon) said to them, I am acquainted with Yehoshua, I have da'as of Sha'ul, but, you, who are you?!
16And the ish in whom was the ruach hara'ah leaped upon them and subdued all [shivah] of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled, naked and wounded, from the bais.
17And this became known to all the Yehudim and also the Yevanim inhabiting Ephesus, and pachad (terror) fell upon all of them, and they were exalting haShem of Adoneinu Yehoshua.
18And many of the ones having come to emunah were making vidduy of their ma'asim, disclosing them.
19And a number of the ones who had practiced kishshuf (magic, sorcery) brought together their occult sfarim and were burning them publicly; and they added up the price of these occult sfarim, and they found it to be fifty thousand silver pieces.
20So the dvar Hashem, the Besuras HaGeulah, was growing with ko'ach and was prevailing.
21And when these things were fulfilled, Rav Sha'ul resolved in his ruach to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Yerushalayim, saying After I have gone there, it is necessary for me also to see Rome.
22So Rav Sha'ul sent to Macedonia two of the mesharetim (ministers, servants) with him — Timotiyos and Erastus, while he stayed a little while longer in#19:22 the Province of Asia.
23Now during that time there was no small disturbance concerning the Derech Hashem.
24For a certain one, Demetrius by name, a silversmith and maker of silver idol shrines for Artemis, was providing no small revach (profit) for the craftsmen.
25Demetrius also assembled the craftsmen occupied with that trade and he said, Anashim, you have da'as that our prosperity is from this trade,
26And you see and hear that not only here in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Rav Sha'ul has persuaded and drawn away a large multitude saying, Elilim made with human hands are not Elohim.#19:26 Dt 4:28; Ps 115:4; Isa 44:10-20; Jer 10:3-5
27And this is not only a danger to us, that our part, our trade, will fall into disrepute, but also the temple of the elah hagedolah Artemis may be considered as nothing, and also may be about to suffer the loss of her majesty, which all Asia and the Olam Hazeh worship.
28And having listened and having become full of ka'as, the idol makers were crying out, saying, Gedolah is Artemis of the Ephesians!
29And the city was filled with tohu, and they rushed with one impulse into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Macedonians and traveling fellow po'alim of Rav Sha'ul.
30And Rav Sha'ul desired to enter into the crowd in the theater, but the talmidim were not allowing him.
31And also some of the Asiarchs who were his chaverim, sent to him, begging him not to venture into the theater.
32Then some began shouting one thing, some another, in the theater, for the kahal was in confusion, and most had no da'as of the purpose of the kahal (assembly).
33And from the multitude Alexander was pushed forward by Yehudim and some prompted him with shouts, while Alexander waved his hand, wanting to defend himself to the kahal.
34But having known what the man was, that he was a Yehudi, all in the theater shouted in unison for lav davka two hours crying out, Gedolah is Artemis of the Ephesians.
35And the town clerk, when he had restrained the crowd, said, Anashim, citizens of Ephesus, who indeed is there among Bnei Adam who does not have da'as that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the tzelem (image) that fell from Shomayim?
36Since these things are undeniable, it is necessary for you to calm down and to do nothing reckless.
37For you brought these anashim here who are neither temple robbers nor speakers of evil against our religion.
38Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a tainah (grievance) against anyone, the civil courts are in session and there are proconsuls. Let it be there that they bring charges against one another.
39And if you seek anything further, let your settlement be obtained in the lawful assembly.
40For indeed we are in danger of being indicted for an intifadah (uprising) today, for there is no justification we can render to excuse this disorder and commotion.
41And having said these things, the town clerk dismissed the kahal (assembly).
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