Acts 19
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
Now it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus. And finding 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.”
he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “But we have not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit!”
3 “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
So he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John's baptism.”
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.”
So Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe into the One who would come after him, that is, into Jesus, the Christ.”
5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
So upon hearing this they were baptized into 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 as Paul laid his hands on them the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they started speaking languages and prophesying.
7 There were about twelve men in all.
There were about twelve men in all.
8 Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
During three months Paul kept going to the synagogue and speaking boldly, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of 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 when some became hardened and disobedient, maligning the Way before the crowd, he withdrew from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of a certain 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.
Now this continued for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the Word of the Lord Jesus.
11 God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
Further, God kept working unusual miracles 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 even handkerchiefs or aprons that he touched were applied to the sick, and the diseases left them and the wicked spirits went out from them.
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.”
Well some among the itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits saying, “We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
In fact there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who were doing this.
15 Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
But a particular wicked spirit reacted and said, “Jesus I know, and I am acquainted with 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 wicked spirit was jumped on them and overpowered them; he was so much stronger that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.
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.
Now this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being exalted.
18 Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
And many of those who had believed started coming, confessing and disclosing their practices.
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.
In fact, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them up, in front of everybody (they had calculated their value and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver).
20 So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.
With power like that it was that the word of the Lord kept growing and prevailing.
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 accomplished, Paul resolved in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also 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.
So he sent two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, on to Macedonia, while he himself stayed on in Asia for a time.
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
Now it was during that time that a serious disturbance concerning the Way occurred.
24 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, habitually brought in plenty of business for the artisans;
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.
he called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know that our prosperity depends on this trade.
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 observe and hear that not only in Ephesus but throughout almost all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that handmade things are not gods.
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.”
So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be discredited, and even her own majesty be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”
28 When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Now upon hearing this they were filled with anger and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
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.
So the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed into the theater with one accord (they had seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's traveling companions).
30 Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would 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.
Even some of the officials of Asia, being his friends, sent word to him and urged him not to venture into the theater.
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.
The assembly was in confusion: some were shouting one thing and some another; most of them did not know 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 the Jews pushed Alexander forward, out from the crowd. So Alexander motioned with his hand and would have made a defense to the people.
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 realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
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?
When the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Artemis and of what fell from Zeus?
36 Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.
Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash.
37 For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
You have arrested these men who are neither temple thieves nor blasphemers of your 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.
Now if Demetrius and his fellow artisans have a complaint against anyone, courts are available, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.
39 But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
But if you want to debate any other matter, it will be settled in the legal assembly.
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.”
Indeed, we are in danger of being charged with a riot, because of today, there being no reason at all that we can give to account for this commotion.”
41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
And having said these things he dismissed the assembly.
