使徒行传 19

在以弗所

1 亚波罗在哥林多的时候，保罗经过内地一带，来到以弗所。他遇见几个门徒，2 问他们说：“你们信的时候，受了圣灵没有？”他们说：“没有，连圣灵赐下来这件事，我们也没有听过。”3 保罗问：“那么你们受的是甚么洗呢？”他们说：“是约翰的洗礼。”4 保罗说：“约翰施的是悔改的洗礼，他告诉人民当信在他以后要来的那一位，就是耶稣。”5 他们听见了，就受洗归入主耶稣的名下。6 保罗为他们按手，圣灵就降在他们身上，他们就用各种的语言讲话，并且说预言。7 他们一共约有十二人。8 一连三个月，保罗都到会堂里去，放胆宣讲，辩论 神的国的事，劝导人。9 可是有些人心里刚硬，不受劝化，在群众面前毁谤这道，保罗就离开他们，也叫门徒与他们分开。他每天在推喇奴学院跟人辩论。10 这样过了两年，全亚西亚的居民，无论犹太人或希腊人，都听见了主的道。
士基瓦的七个儿子11 神藉着保罗的手，行了一些不平凡的神蹟。12 甚至有人把保罗贴身的手巾围巾拿去，放在病人身上，病就好了，邪灵也出来了。13 那时，有几个赶鬼的犹太人，周遊各处，擅自用主耶稣的名，向身上有邪灵的人说：“我奉保罗所传的耶稣的名，命令你们出来。”14 有一个犹太人士基瓦，是祭司长，他的七个儿子都作这事。15 邪灵回答他们：“耶稣我认识，保罗我也知道；你们是谁？”16 邪灵所附的那人就扑到他们身上，制伏了两人，胜过了他们，使他们赤着身带着伤，从那房子逃了出来。17 所有住在以弗所的犹太人和希腊人，都知道这件事；大家都惧怕，尊主耶稣的名为大。18 也有许多信了的人，来承认和述说自己行过的事。19 又有许多行巫术的人，把他们的书堆在一起当众烧掉。他们估计书价，才知道共值五万块银子。20 这样，主的道大有能力地兴旺起来，而且得胜。
以弗所的骚动21 这些事以后，保罗心里定意要经过马其顿、亚该亚，往耶路撒冷去。他说：“我到了那边以后，也该去罗马看看。”22 于是从服事他的人中，派了提摩太和以拉都两人去马其顿，自己暂时留在亚西亚。23 那时，因这道起了大扰乱，24 有一个银匠，名叫低米丢，是制造亚底米女神银龛的。他让技工们作了不少的生意。25 他把这些人和同业的工人聚集起来，说：“各位，你们知道，我们是靠这生意赚钱的。26 现在你们看见了，也听见了，这个保罗不单在以弗所，而且几乎在整个亚西亚，说服了，也带坏了许多人，说：‘人手所做的，都不是神。’27 这样，不只我们这一行要给人鄙视，就是大女神亚底米的庙也会给人撇弃，连全亚西亚和普天下所敬拜的女神也要垮台，威荣尽都失掉了。”28 他们听了，怒气冲冲喊着说：“以弗所人的女神，伟大的亚底米啊！”29 全城骚动起来，他们捉住了保罗的旅伴马其顿人该犹和亚里达古，齐心冲进了剧场。30 保罗想要到人群当中去，门徒却不许。31 还有几位亚西亚的首长，是保罗的朋友，派人来劝他，不要冒险到剧场里去。32 那时大家叫这个喊那个，乱成一团，大多数的人都不知道聚集的原因。33 犹太人把亚历山大推到前面，群众中有人把这事的因由告诉他。亚历山大作了一个手势，要向民众申辩。34 大家一认出他是犹太人，就异口同声高呼：“以弗所人的女神，伟大的亚底米啊！”喊了约有两个钟头。35 后来，书记官安抚群众说：“以弗所人哪！谁不知道你们的城，是看守大亚底米的庙，又是看守宙斯那里降下的神像的呢？36 这些事既然是驳不倒的，你们就应当平心静气，不可轻举妄动。37 你们带来的这些人，既没有行劫庙宇，也没有亵渎我们的女神。38 如果低米丢和同他一起的技工要控告谁，大可以告上法庭，或呈交总督；让他们彼此控告好了。39 如果还有其他的事件，可以在合法的集会里，谋求解决。40 今天的动乱，本来是无缘无故的，我们可能有被控告的危险；关于这次的骚动，我们实在无法解释。”41 说了这些话，就把群众解散了。

Acts 19

Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus

1 Whilet Apollos was in Corinth,s Paul went through the inlandt regionst and came to Ephesus.s Het found some disciples theret2 and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”t They replied,t “No, we have not event heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”3 So Pault said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied.t4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,s that is, in Jesus.”5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,6 and when Paul placedt his hands on them, the Holy Spirit cames upon them, and they began to speakt in tongues and to prophesy.t

7 (Now there were about twelve men in all.)s

Paul Continues to Minister at Ephesus

8 So Pault enteredt the synagogues and spoke out fearlesslyt for three months, addressingt and convincingt them about the kingdom of God.s9 But whent some were stubbornt and refused to believe, revilingt the Ways before the congregation, he leftt them and took the disciples with him,t addressingt them every dayt in the lecture hallt of Tyrannus.

10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia,ts both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.s

The Seven Sons of Sceva

11 God was performing extraordinaryt miracles by Paul’s hands,12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his bodyt were broughtt to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.t13 But some itinerantt Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the namet of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed byt evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warns you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”14 (Now seven sons of a man namedt Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.)s15 But the evil spirit replied to them,t “I know about Jesust and I am acquainted witht Paul, but who are you?”s16 Then the man who was possessed byt the evil spirit jumped ont them and beat them all into submission.t He prevailedt against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus,s both Jews and Greeks; fear came overt them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised.t18 Many of those who had believed came forward,t confessing and making their deeds known.ts19 Large numberst of those who had practiced magict collected their bookst and burned them up in the presence of everyone.t Whent the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins.t

20 In this way the word of the Lords continued to grow in powert and to prevail.s

A Riot in Ephesus

21 Now after all these things had taken place,t Paul resolvedt to go to Jerusalem,s passing through Macedonias and Achaia.s He said,t “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”ss

22 So after sendingt two of his assistants,t Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia,s he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia.t
23 Att that timet a great disturbancet took place concerning the Way.s24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrinest of Artemis,s brought a great dealt of businesss to the craftsmen.25 He gatheredt theset together, along with the workmen in similar trades,s and said, “Men, you know that our prosperityt comes from this business.26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuadedt and turned awayt a large crowd,t not only in Ephesuss but in practically all of the province of Asia,t by sayingt that gods made by hands are not gods at all.ts

27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute,t but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemiss will be regarded as nothing,t and she whom all the province of Asiat and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.”ts
28 Whent they heardt this they became enragedt and began to shout,t “Great is Artemiss of the Ephesians!”29 Thet city was filled with the uproar,t and the crowdt rushed to the theaters together,t dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions.30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly,t the disciples would not let him.31 Even some of the provincial authoritiest who were his friends sentt a messaget to him, urging him not to venturet into the theater.32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together.t33 Some of the crowd concludedt it was aboutt Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front.t Alexander, gesturingt with his hand, was wanting to make a defenses before the public assembly.t34 But when they recognizedt that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison,t “Great is Artemiss of the Ephesians!” for about two hours.s35 After the city secretaryt quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what persont is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keepert of the temple of the great Artemiss and of her image that fell from heaven?ts36 So because these factst are indisputable,t you must keep quiett and not do anything reckless.t37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robberst nor blasphemers of our goddess.s38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaintt against someone, the courts are opent and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there.t39 But if you want anything in addition,t it will have to be settledt in a legal assembly.t40 Fort we are in danger of being charged with riotingt today, since there is no cause we can give to explaint this disorderly gathering.”t

41 Aftert he had saidt this,t he dismissed the assembly.s