使徒行傳 19

保羅在以弗所

1  亞波羅在哥林多的時候，保羅經過了內陸地區，來到以弗所，在那裏他遇見幾個門徒， 2 問他們：「你們信的時候領受了聖靈沒有？」他們說：「沒有，我們連甚麼是聖靈都沒有聽過。」 3 保羅說：「這樣，你們受的是甚麼洗呢？」他們說：「是受了約翰的洗。」 4 保羅說：「約翰所施的是悔改的洗禮，他告訴百姓當信那在他以後要來的那位，就是耶穌。」 5 他們聽見這話以後，就奉主耶穌的名受洗。 6 保羅給他們按手，聖靈就降在他們身上，他們開始說方言t 和說預言。 7 他們約有十二個人。

8  保羅進會堂，一連三個月放膽講道，辯論上帝國的事，勸導眾人。 9 後來，有些人心裏剛硬不信，在眾人面前毀謗這道；保羅就離開他們，也叫門徒與他們分開，就在推喇奴的講堂天天辯論。 10 這樣有兩年之久，使一切住在亞細亞的，無論是猶太人是希臘人，都聽見主的道。

士基瓦的兒子們

11 上帝藉保羅的手行了些奇異的神蹟， 12 甚至有人從保羅身上拿走手巾或圍裙放在病人身上，病就消除了，邪靈也出去了。 13 那時，有幾個巡迴各處念咒趕鬼的猶太人，擅自利用主耶穌的名，向那些被邪靈所附的人說：「我奉保羅所傳的耶穌命令你們出來！」 14 做這事的是猶太祭司長士基瓦的七個兒子。 15 但邪靈回答他們：「耶穌我知道，保羅我也認識，你們卻是誰呢？」 16 被邪靈所附的人就撲到他們身上，制伏他們，勝過他們，使他們赤著身子，受了傷，從那房子裏逃出去了。 17 凡住在以弗所的，無論是猶太人是希臘人，都知道這件事，也都懼怕；主耶穌的名從此就更被尊為大了。 18 許多已經信的人來承認並公開自己所行的事。 19 又有許多平素行邪術的人把他們的書都拿來，堆積在眾人面前焚燒。他們計算書價，得知共值五萬塊銀錢。 20 這樣，主的道大大興旺，而且普遍傳開了。

以弗所的暴動

21 這些事過後，保羅心裏決定要經過馬其頓、亞該亞，就往耶路撒冷去。他說：「我到了那裏以後，也必須到羅馬去看看。」 22 於是他差遣兩個助手提摩太和以拉都往馬其頓去，自己暫時留在亞細亞。

23 那時，因這道路而起的騷動不小。 24 有一個銀匠，名叫底米丟，是製造亞底米神銀龕的，他使從事這手藝的人生意發達。 25 他聚集他們和同行的工人，說：「諸位，你們知道我們是倚靠這生意發財的。 26 你們看到，也聽見這保羅不但在以弗所，也幾乎在亞細亞全地，引誘迷惑了許多人，說：『人手所做的不是神明。』 27 這樣，不僅我們這行業陷入被藐視的危險，就是大女神亞底米的廟也要被人輕看，連亞細亞全地和普天下所敬拜的女神的威望也受損害了。」

28 眾人聽見，就怒氣沖沖，喊著說：「大哉，以弗所人的亞底米！」 29 於是滿城都騷動起來。眾人抓住與保羅同行的馬其頓人該猶和亞里達古，齊心衝進劇場。 30 保羅想要進到民眾那裏，門徒卻不許他去。 31 連亞細亞的幾位官員，是保羅的朋友，也打發人來勸他不要冒險到劇場裏去。 32 聚集的人亂成一團，有的喊這個，有的喊那個，大半不知道為了甚麼聚集。 33 猶太人把亞歷山大推出去，人群中有人慫恿他，他就做手勢，要向民眾申訴。 34 但他們一認出他是猶太人，大家就異口同聲喊著：「大哉，以弗所人的亞底米！」約喊了兩小時。 35 城裏的書記官安撫了群眾後，說：「以弗所人哪，誰不知道以弗所人的城是看守大亞底米的廟和從宙斯那裏落下來的像的守護者呢？ 36 既然這些事是駁不倒的，你們就要安靜下來，不可妄動。 37 你們把這些人帶來，他們並沒有偷竊廟中之物，也沒有褻瀆我們的女神。 38 如果底米丟和他同行的手藝人有控告的事，自有公堂，也有省長，他們可以彼此控告。 39 你們若有別的事請求，可以在合法的集會裏解決。 40 今日的擾亂本是無緣無故的，有被控告的危險。這次的騷動，我們也說不出理由來。」 41 他說完這些話，就叫眾人散會。

ACTS 19

Paul in Ephesus

1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled across the hill country to Ephesus, where he met some of the Lord's followers.

2 He asked them, “When you put your faith in Jesus, were you given the Holy Spirit?”
“No!” they answered. “We have never even heard of the Holy Spirit.”

3 “Then why were you baptized?” Paul asked.
They answered, “Because of what John taught.”t
4  t Paul replied, “John baptized people so they would turn to God. But he also told them someone else was coming, and they should put their faith in him. Jesus is the one that John was talking about.” 5 After the people heard Paul say this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then Paul placed his hands on them. The Holy Spirit was given to them, and they spoke unknown languages and prophesied.

7 There were about twelve men in this group.
8 For three months Paul went to the synagogue and talked bravely with the people about God's kingdom. He tried to win them over, 9 but some of them were stubborn and refused to believe. In front of everyone they said terrible things about God's Way. Paul left and took the followers with him to the lecture hall of Tyrannus. He spoke there every day

10 for two years, until every Jew and Gentilet in Asia had heard the Lord's message.

The Sons of Sceva

11 God gave Paul the power to work great miracles.

12 People even took handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul's body, and they carried them to everyone who was sick. All of the sick people were healed, and the evil spirits went out.

13 Some Jewish men started going around trying to force out evil spirits by using the name of the Lord Jesus. They said to the spirits, “Come out in the name of that same Jesus that Paul preaches about!”
14 Seven sons of a high priest named Sceva were doing this, 15 when an evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus! And I have heard about Paul. But who are you?”

16 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them up. They ran out of the house, naked and bruised.
17 When the Jews and Gentilest in Ephesus heard about this, they were so frightened that they praised the name of the Lord Jesus. 18 Many who were followers now started telling everyone about the evil things they had been doing. 19 Some who had been practicing witchcraft even brought their books and burned them in public. These books were worth about 50,000 silver coins.

20 So the Lord's message spread and became even more powerful.

The Riot in Ephesus

21 After all this had happened, Paul decidedt to visit Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. Paul had said, “From there I will go on to Rome.”

22 So he sent his two helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia. But he stayed on in Asia for a while.
23 At that time there was serious trouble because of the Lord's Way.t 24 A silversmith named Demetrius had a business that made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. Those who worked for him earned a lot of money.

25 Demetrius brought together everyone who was in the same business and said:
Friends, you know we make a good living at this. 26 But you have surely seen and heard how this man Paul is upsetting a lot of people, not only in Ephesus, but almost everywhere in Asia. He claims that the gods we humans make are not really gods at all.

27 Everyone will start saying terrible things about our business. They will stop respecting the temple of the goddess Artemis, who is worshiped in Asia and all over the world. Our great goddess will be forgotten!
28 When the workers heard this, they got angry and started shouting, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!”

29 Soon the whole city was in a riot, and some men grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, who had come from Macedonia with Paul. Then everyone in the crowd rushed to the place where the town meetings were held.
30 Paul wanted to go out and speak to the people, but the Lord's followers would not let him.

31 A few of the local officials were friendly to Paul, and they sent someone to warn him not to go.

32 Some of the people in the meeting were shouting one thing, and others were shouting something else. Everyone was completely confused, and most of them did not even know why they were there.
33 Several of the Jewish leaders pushed a man named Alexander to the front of the crowd and started telling him what to say. He motioned with his hand and tried to explain what was going on.

34 But when the crowd saw that he was Jewish, they all shouted for two hours, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!”

35 Finally, a town official made the crowd be quiet. Then he said:
People of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that our city is the center for worshiping the great goddess Artemis? Who doesn't know that her image which fell from heaven is right here? 36 No one can deny this, and so you should calm down and not do anything foolish.

37 You have brought men in here who have not robbed temples or spoken against our goddess.
38 If Demetrius and his workers have a case against these men, we have courts and judges. Let them take their complaints there. 39 But if you want to do more than that, the matter will have to be brought before the city council.

40 We could easily be accused of starting a riot today. There is no excuse for it! We cannot even give a reason for this uproar.
41 After saying this, he told the people to leave.