Acts 19
Paul Goes to Ephesus
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road to Ephesus. When he arrived, he found some believers there.2 He asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"
"No," they answered. "We haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
4 Paul said, "John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him. Jesus is that one."5 After hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6 Paul placed his hands on them. Then the Holy Spirit came on them. They spoke in languages they had not known before. They also prophesied.7 There were about 12 of them in all.
8 Paul entered the synagogue. There he spoke boldly for three months. He tried to talk the people into accepting his teaching about God's kingdom.9 But some of them wouldn't listen. They refused to believe. In public they said evil things about the Way of Jesus. So Paul left them. He took the believers with him. Each day he talked with people in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.10 This went on for two years. So all the Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia Minor heard the word of the Lord.
11 God did amazing miracles through Paul.12 Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to those who were sick. When this happened, their sicknesses were healed and evil spirits left them.
13 Some Jews went around driving out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to set free those who were controlled by demons. They said, "In Jesus' name I command you to come out. He is the Jesus that Paul is preaching about."14 Seven sons of Sceva were doing this. Sceva was a Jewish chief priest.15 One day the evil spirit answered them, "I know Jesus. And I know about Paul. But who are you?"16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on Sceva's sons. He overpowered them all. He gave them a terrible beating. They ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
17 The Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus heard about this. They were all overcome with fear. They held the name of the Lord Jesus in high honor.18 Many who believed now came and openly admitted the evil they had done.19 A number of those who had practiced evil magic brought their scrolls together. They set them on fire out in the open. They added up the value of the scrolls. They found that it would take more than two lifetimes to earn what the scrolls were worth.
20 The word of the Lord spread everywhere. It became more and more powerful.
21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem. He went through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been to Jerusalem," he said, "I must visit Rome also."22 He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia. But he stayed a little longer in Asia Minor.
Trouble in Ephesus
23 At that time many people became very upset about the Way of Jesus.24 There was a man named Demetrius who made things out of silver. He made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. He brought in a lot of business for the other skilled workers.25 One day he called them together. He also called others who were in the same kind of business. "Men," he said, "you know that we make good money from our work.26 You have seen and heard what this fellow Paul is doing. He has talked to large numbers of people here in Ephesus. Almost everywhere in Asia Minor he has led people away from our gods. He says that the gods we make are not gods at all.27 Our work is in danger of losing its good name. People's faith in the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be weakened. Now she is worshiped through all of Asia Minor and the whole world. But soon she will be robbed of her greatness."
28 When they heard this, they became very angry. They began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"29 Soon people were making trouble in the whole city. They all rushed into the theater. They dragged Gaius and Aristarchus along with them. These two men had come with Paul from Macedonia.30 Paul wanted to appear in front of the crowd. But the believers wouldn't let him.31 Some of the officials in Asia Minor were friends of Paul. They sent him a message, begging him not to go into the theater.
32 The crowd didn't know what was going on. Some were shouting one thing and some another. Most of the people didn't even know why they were there.33 The Jews pushed Alexander to the front. Some of the crowd tried to tell him what to say. But he motioned for them to be quiet. He wanted to speak up for himself in front of the people.34 But then they realized that he was a Jew. So they all shouted the same thing for about two hours. "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" they yelled.
35 The city clerk quieted the crowd down. "Men of Ephesus!" he said. "The whole world knows that the city of Ephesus guards the temple of the great Artemis. They know that Ephesus guards her statue, which fell from heaven.36 These facts can't be questioned. So calm down. Don't do anything foolish.
37 "These men haven't robbed any temples. They haven't said evil things against our goddess. But you have brought them here anyhow.38 Demetrius and the other skilled workers may feel they have been wronged by someone. Let them bring charges. The courts are open. We have our governors.39 Is there anything else you want to bring up? Settle it in a court of law.40 As it is, today we are in danger of being charged with causing all this trouble. But there is no reason for it. We wouldn't be able to explain what has happened."41 After he said this, he sent the people away.
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.