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 to pass, while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, passing through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and found 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 unto them—Holy Spirit, received ye, when ye believed? And they said unto him—Nay! not even whether there is Holy Spirit, did we hear.
3 “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
And he said—Into what, then, were ye immersed? And, they, said—Unto John’s immersion.
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.”
Then said Paul—John, immersed with an immersion of repentance, unto the people, saying, that, on him who was coming after him, they should believe, —that is, on Jesus.
5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
And, when they heard [this], they were immersed 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, Paul laying hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.
7 There were about twelve men in all.
And all the men were about twelve.
8 Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
And, entering into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning 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 were hardening themselves, and refusing to be persuaded, speaking evil of the Way before the throng, withdrawing from them, he separated the disciples; day by day, reasoning 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, took place for two years, so that, all who dwelt in Asia, heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11 God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
Mighty works, also, not the ordinary, God was working through 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 unto the sick, were being carried from his body, handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases were departing from them, and, the wicked spirits, were going 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 certain also of the wandering Jews, exorcists, took in hand to be naming, over them that had the wicked spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying—I adjure you, by Jesus whom Paul proclaimeth!
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a High-priest, who, this thing, were doing.
15 Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
But the wicked spirit. Answering, said unto them—Jesus, [indeed], I am getting to know, and, Paul, I well-know, —but who are, ye?
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 was the wicked spirit, springing upon them, mastering them both, prevailed against them, so that, naked and wounded, fled they out of that house.
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, became known to all—both Jews and Greeks—who were dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.
18 Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
Many also of them who had believed, were coming, making open confession, and renouncing 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.
And, a good many of them who had practised the curious arts, bringing together the books, were burning them before all; and they reckoned up the prices of them, and found them fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.
Thus, with might, the Lord’s word, was 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, when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in his spirit, going through Macedonia and Achaia, to be journeying unto Jerusalem, saying—After I have been there, Rome also, must I see!
22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.
And, sending off into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself, held on awhile in Asia.
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
And there arose during that season no small disturbance concerning the Way.
24 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
For, one Demetrius by name, a silversmith, making [silver] shrines, of Diana, used to bring unto the craftsmen no little business;
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.
gathering whom together, and them who in such things wrought, he said—Men! ye well know that, by this business, we have our prosperity;
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 ye perceive and hear that, not only in Ephesus, but well-nigh in all Asia, this Paul, hath persuaded and turned away a considerable multitude, saying that they are, no gods, which, with hands, are made.
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, not only is there danger that this our heritage into ill-repute may come, but even that the temple, of the great Goddess Diana, for nothing, may be counted; also that, even on the point of being pulled down, may be Her Majesty, whom, all Asia and the habitable world, do worship.
28 When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Now, hearing this, and becoming full of wrath, they began crying aloud, saying—Great, is Diana 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.
And the city was filled with the confusion; they rushed also with one accord into the theatre, carrying off with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow-travellers of Paul.
30 Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
But, Paul, being minded to enter in among the populace, the disciples would not suffer 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.
Moreover, certain of the Asiarchs also, being his friends, sending unto him, were beseeching him not to adventure himself 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.
Others, indeed, were crying out something else; for the assembly had become confused, and, the greater part, knew not for what cause 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.
Howbeit, out of the multitude, they bare aloft one Alexander, the Jews thrusting him forward; Alexander, however, waving his hand, was wishing to make his defense unto the populace.
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, recognizing that he was a Jew, one voice arose from all for about two hours, as they cried aloud—Great, is Diana 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?
Howbeit the town-clerk, having calmed the multitude, saith—Ephesians! why, who is there of mankind that doth not acknowledge the city of Ephesians to be temple-keeper of the Great Diana, and of the [image] that fell from Jupiter?
36 Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.
As these things, then, cannot be denied, it is needful that ye be calmed at once, and, nothing rash, be doing.
37 For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
For ye have brought these men, neither as temple-robbers, nor as defaming 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 craftsmen with him, have against anyone an accusation, courts, are being held, and there are, proconsuls: let them accuse one another!
39 But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
But, if after, something further, ye are seeking, in the regular assembly shall it be settled.
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 we are, even in danger of being accused of riot, concerning this day, no cause at all, existing, by reference to which we shall be able to give a reason for this concourse.
41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
And, these things, having said, he dismissed the assembly.
