Acts 19

Paul in Ephesus

1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul was visiting some places on the way to Ephesus. There he found some followers

2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They said, “We have never even heard of a Holy Spirit.”

3 So he asked, “What kind of baptism did you have?”
They said, “It was the baptism that John taught.”

4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of changed hearts and lives. He told people to believe in the one who would come after him, and that one is Jesus.”
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6 Then Paul laid his hands on them, 

7 There were about twelve people in this group.
8 Paul went into the synagogue and spoke out boldly for three months. He talked with the people and persuaded them to accept the things he said about the kingdom of God.9 But some of them became stubborn. They refused to believe and said evil things about the Way of Jesus before all the people. So Paul left them, and taking the followers with him, he went to the school of a man named Tyrannus. There Paul talked with people every day

10 for two years. Because of his work, every Jew and Greek in Asia heard the word of the Lord.

The Sons of Sceva

11 God used Paul to do some very special miracles.

12 Some people took handkerchiefs and clothes that Paul had used and put them on the sick. When they did this, the sick were healed and evil spirits left them.
13 But some people also were traveling around and making evil spirits go out of people. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to force the evil spirits out. They would say, “By the same Jesus that Paul talks about, I order you to come out!”

14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this.

15 But one time an evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them. Because he was so much stronger than all of them, they ran away from the house naked and hurt.17 All the people in Ephesus—Jews and Greeks—learned about this and were filled with fear and gave great honor to the Lord Jesus.18 Many of the believers began to confess openly and tell all the evil things they had done.19 Some of them who had used magic brought their magic books and burned them before everyone. Those books were worth about fifty thousand silver coins. 

20 So in a powerful way the word of the Lord kept spreading and growing.
21 After these things, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, planning to go through the countries of Macedonia and Southern Greece and then on to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have been to Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome.”

22 Paul sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, ahead to Macedonia, but he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

Trouble in Ephesus

23 And during that time, there was some serious trouble in Ephesus about the Way of Jesus.24 A man named Demetrius, who worked with silver, made little silver models that looked like the temple of the goddess Artemis. 25 Demetrius had a meeting with them 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.26 But look at what this man Paul is doing. He has convinced and turned away many people in Ephesus and in almost all of Asia! He says the gods made by human hands are not real.

27 There is a danger that our business will lose its good name, but there is also another danger: 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.”
28 When the others heard this, they became very angry and shouted, “Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus, is great!”29 The whole city became confused. The people grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, who were from Macedonia and were traveling with Paul, and ran to the theater.30 Paul wanted to go in and talk to the crowd, but the followers did not let him.31 Also, some leaders of Asia who were friends of Paul sent him a message, begging him not to go into the theater.32 Some people were shouting one thing, and some were shouting another. The meeting was completely confused; most of them did not know why they had come together.33 They put a man named Alexander in front of the people, and some of them told him what to do. Alexander waved his hand so he could explain things to the people.

34 But when they saw that Alexander was a Jew, they all shouted the same thing for two hours: “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!”
35 Then the city clerk made the crowd be quiet. He said, “People of Ephesus, everyone knows that Ephesus is the city that keeps the temple of the great goddess Artemis and her holy stone 36 Since no one can say this is not true, you should be quiet. Stop and think before you do anything.37 You brought these men here, but they have not said anything evil against our goddess or stolen anything from her temple.38 If Demetrius and those who work with him have a charge against anyone they should go to the courts and judges where they can argue with each other.39 If there is something else you want to talk about, it can be decided at the regular town meeting of the people.40 I say this because some people might see this trouble today and say that we are rioting. We could not explain this, because there is no real reason for this meeting.”41 After the city clerk said these things, he told the people to go home.

Acts 19

1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples:2 and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given.3 And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John’s baptism.4 And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus.5 And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.7 And they were in all about twelve men.8 And he entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.9 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.10 And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:12 insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the evil spirits went out.13 But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this.15 And the evil spirit answered and said unto them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.17 And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.18 Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.19 And not a few of them that practised magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.20 So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.21 Now after these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.22 And having sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.23 And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen;25 whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth.26 And ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands:27 and not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana be made of no account, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.28 And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesus.29 And the city was filled with the confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.30 And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.31 And certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to adventure himself into the theatre.32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.33 And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defense unto the people.34 But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.35 And when the townclerk had quieted the multitude, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?36 Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.37 For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.38 If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a matter against any man, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another.39 But if ye seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.40 For indeed we are in danger to be accused concerning this day’s riot, there being no cause for it: and as touching it we shall not be able to give account of this concourse.41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.