Acts 19
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having gone through the higher country, came to Ephesus, where there were certain disciples:
2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
And he said to them, Did you get the Holy Spirit when you had faith? And they said to him, No, we have had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit.
3 “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
And he said, What sort of baptism did you have? And they said, The baptism of John.
4 Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
And Paul said, John gave a baptism which goes with a change of heart, saying to the people that they were to have faith in him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.
5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
And hearing this, they had baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
And when Paul had put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they had the power of talking in tongues, and acting like prophets.
7 There were about twelve men in all.
And there were about twelve of these men.
8 Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
And he went into the Synagogue, and for three months he was preaching there without fear, reasoning and teaching about the kingdom of God.
9 But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
But because some of the people were hard-hearted and would not give hearing, saying evil words about the Way before the people, he went away from them, and kept the disciples separate, reasoning every day in the school of Tyrannus.
10 This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.
And this went on for two years, so that all those who were living in Asia had knowledge of the word of the Lord, Greeks as well as Jews.
11 God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
And God did special works of power by the hands of Paul:
12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.
So that bits of linen and clothing from his body were taken to people who were ill, and their diseases went away from them and the evil spirits went out.
13 Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”
But some of the Jews who went from place to place driving out evil spirits, took it on themselves to make use of the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, I give you orders, by Jesus, whom Paul is preaching.
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
And there were seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jew and a chief priest, who did this.
15 Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
And the evil spirit, answering, said to them, I have knowledge of Jesus, and of Paul, but who are you?
16 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded.
And the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them, was stronger than the two of them, and overcame them, so that they went running from that house, wounded and without their clothing.
17 This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
And this came to the ears of all those, Jews and Greeks, who were living at Ephesus; and fear came on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was made great.
18 Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
And a number of those who had faith came and made a public statement of their sins and all their acts.
19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
And a great number of those who were experts in strange arts took their books and put them on the fire in front of everyone: and when the books were valued they came to fifty thousand bits of silver.
20 So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.
So the word of the Lord was increased very greatly and was full of power.
21 After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
Now after these things were ended, Paul came to a decision that when he had gone through Macedonia and Achaia he would go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I have a desire to see Rome.
22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.
And having sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself went on living in Asia for a time.
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
And about that time a great outcry took place about the Way.
24 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
For there was a certain man named Demetrius, a silver-worker, who made silver boxes for the images of Diana, and gave no small profit to the workmen;
25 Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.
Whom he got together, with other workmen of the same trade, and said to them, Men, it is clear that from this business we get our wealth.
26 And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
And you see, for it has come to your ears, that not only at Ephesus, but almost all through Asia, this Paul has been teaching numbers of people and turning them away, saying that those are not gods who are made by men's hands:
27 There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”
And there is danger, not only that our trade may be damaged in the opinion of men, but that the holy place of the great goddess Diana may be no longer honoured, and that she to whom all Asia and the world give worship, will be put down from her high position.
28 When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
And hearing this, they were very angry, crying out and saying, Great is Diana of Ephesus.
29 Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
And the town was full of noise and trouble, and they all came running into the theatre, having taken by force Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia who were journeying in company with Paul.
30 Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
And when Paul was about to go in to the people, the disciples did not let him.
31 Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.
And some of the rulers of Asia, being his friends, sent to him, requesting him seriously not to put himself in danger by going into the theatre.
32 Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there.
And some said one thing, and some another: for there was no order in the meeting; and most of them had no idea why they had come together.
33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people.
Then they took Alexander out from among the people, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander, making a sign with his hand, was about to make a statement to the people in answer:
34 But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
But when they saw that he was a Jew, all of them with one voice went on crying out for about two hours, Great is Diana of Ephesus.
35 Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?
And when the chief secretary had got the people quiet, he said, Men of Ephesus, is any man without knowledge that the town of Ephesus is the keeper of the holy place of the great Diana, who was sent down from Jupiter?
36 Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.
So then, because these things may not be doubted, it would be better for you to be quiet, and do nothing unwise.
37 For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
For you have taken these men, who are not doing damage to the holy place or talking against our goddess.
38 So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.
If, then, Demetrius and the workmen who are with him have a protest to make against any man, the law is open to them, and there are judges; let them put up a cause at law against one another.
39 But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
But if any other business is in question, let it be taken up in the regular meeting.
40 For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”
For, truly, we are in danger of being made responsible for this day's trouble, there being no cause for it: and we are not able to give any reason for this coming together.
41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
And when he had said this, he sent the meeting away.
