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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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Acts 19
19
Paul in Ephesus
1While Apollos was in the city of Corinth, Paul was visiting some places on his way to Ephesus. In Ephesus he found some other followers of the Lord. 2He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
These followers said to him, “We have never even heard of a Holy Spirit!”
3Paul asked them, “So what kind of baptism did you have?”
They said, “It was the baptism that John taught.”
4Paul said, “John told people to be baptized to show they wanted to change their lives. He told people to believe in the one who would come after him, and that one is Jesus.”
5When these followers heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6Then Paul laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them. They began speaking different languages and prophesying. 7There were about twelve men in this group.
8Paul went into the synagogue and spoke very boldly. He continued doing this for three months. He talked with the Jews, trying to persuade them to accept what he was telling them about God’s kingdom. 9But some of them became stubborn and refused to believe. In front of everyone, they said bad things about the Way. So Paul left these Jews and took the Lord’s followers with him. He went to a place where a man named Tyrannus had a school. There Paul talked with people every day. 10He did this for two years. Because of this work, everyone in Asia, Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
The Sons of Sceva
11God used Paul to do some very special miracles. 12Some people carried away handkerchiefs and clothes that Paul had used and put them on those who were sick. The sick people were healed, and evil spirits left them.
13-14Some Jews also were traveling around forcing evil spirits out of people. The seven sons of Sceva, one of the leading priests, were doing this. These Jews tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to make the evil spirits go out of people. They all said, “By the same Jesus that Paul talks about, I order you to come out!”
15But one time an evil spirit said to these Jews, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16Then the man who had the evil spirit inside him jumped on these Jews. He was much stronger than all of them. He beat them up and tore their clothes off. They all ran away from that house.
17All the people in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks, learned about this. They were all filled with fear and gave great honor to the Lord Jesus. 18Many of the believers began to confess, telling about all the evil things they had done. 19Some of them had used magic. These believers brought their magic books and burned them before everyone. These books were worth about 50,000 silver coins.#19:19 silver coins Probably Greek drachmas. One coin was worth the average pay for one day’s work. 20This is how the word of the Lord was spreading in a powerful way, causing more and more people to believe.
Paul Plans a Trip
21After this, Paul made plans to go to Jerusalem. He planned to go through the regions of Macedonia and Achaia, and then go to Jerusalem. He thought, “After I visit Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome.” 22Timothy and Erastus were two of his helpers. Paul sent them ahead to Macedonia. But he stayed in Asia for a while.
Trouble in Ephesus
23But during that time there was some trouble in Ephesus about the Way. This is how it all happened: 24There was a man named Demetrius. He worked with silver. He made little silver models that looked like the temple of the goddess Artemis. The men who did this work made a lot of money.
25Demetrius had a meeting with these men and some others who did the same kind of work. He told them, “Men, you know that we make a lot of money from our business. 26But look at what this man Paul is doing. Listen to what he is saying. He has convinced many people in Ephesus and all over Asia to change their religion. He says the gods that people make by hand are not real. 27I’m afraid this is going to turn people against our business. But there is also another problem. People will begin to think that the temple of the great goddess Artemis is not important. Her greatness will be destroyed. And Artemis is the goddess that everyone in Asia and the whole world worships.”
28When the men heard this, they became very angry. They shouted, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus!” 29The whole city was thrown into confusion. The people grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, men from Macedonia who were traveling with Paul, and rushed all together into the stadium. 30Paul wanted to go in and talk to the people, but the Lord’s followers did not let him go. 31Also, some leaders of the country who were friends of Paul sent him a message telling him not to go into the stadium.
32Some people were shouting one thing and others were shouting something else. The meeting was very confused. Most of the people did not know why they had come there. 33Some Jews made a man named Alexander stand before the crowd, and they told him what to say. Alexander waved his hand, trying to explain things to the people. 34But when the people saw that Alexander was a Jew, they all began shouting the same thing. For two hours they continued shouting, “Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis …!”
35Then the city clerk persuaded the people to be quiet. He said, “Men of Ephesus, everyone knows that Ephesus is the city that keeps the temple of the great goddess Artemis. Everyone knows that we also keep her holy rock.#19:35 holy rock Probably a meteorite or rock that the people thought looked like Artemis and worshiped. 36No one can deny this, so you should be quiet. You must stop and think before you do anything else.
37“You brought these men#19:37 men Gaius and Aristarchus, the men traveling with Paul. here, but they have not said anything bad against our goddess. They have not stolen anything from her temple. 38We have courts of law and there are judges. Do Demetrius and those men who work with him have a charge against anyone? They should go to the courts. Let them argue with each other there.
39“Is there something else you want to talk about? Then come to the regular town meeting of the people. It can be decided there. 40I say this because someone might see this trouble today and say we are rioting. We could not explain all this trouble, because there is no real reason for this meeting.” 41After the city clerk said this, he told the people to go home.
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