Acts 19
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he came across some 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?” They said to him, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
So Paul said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” 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.”
Then Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”
5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
On hearing this, they were baptized 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 laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began speaking in tongues 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.
Over a period of three months Paul would go into the synagogue and speak boldly, reasoning and persuading the people 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 some became hardened and refused to believe, speaking evil of the Way in front of the congregation. So Paul left them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the lecture hall of a man named 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.
This continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord Jesus.
11 God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
Now God was performing extraordinary 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 cloths or aprons that had touched his skin were placed upon the sick, and their diseases left them, and evil spirits came out of 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.”
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits. They would say, “We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, 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 one day an evil spirit responded, “I know Jesus, 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.
Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled from the 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.
When this became known to all the Jews and Greeks who dwelt in Ephesus, 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 who had become believers came forward, 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.
while many who practiced magical arts brought their books together and began burning them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, the total came to fifty thousand silver coins.
20 So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.
In this way the word of the Lord was increasing and prevailing mightily.
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.”
After these things had taken place, Paul resolved in his spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go on to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must see Rome also.”
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 his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed in Asia for a period of time.
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
About that time a great disturbance arose concerning the Way.
24 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a great deal of business to the craftsmen.
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 gathered these men together, along with those who worked in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our wealth is derived from this business.
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.
You also see and hear that, not only in Ephesus, but in nearly all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable crowd, saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all.
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.”
Not only is there the danger that this trade of ours might come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis might be regarded as nothing, and that her magnificence might be brought down, 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!”
When they heard this, they were filled with rage and began crying out, “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 with one accord into the amphitheater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions.
30 Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
Although Paul wanted to go into the public assembly, 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 provincial officials of Asia, who were friends of Paul, sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the amphitheater.
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.
Now some were shouting one thing, and some were shouting another, for the assembly was confused, and the majority did not know for what reason 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.
So the Jews put forward Alexander, who was then brought before the crowd. Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make a defense to the public assembly.
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, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted 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, who is there that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis and of the image that fell down from Zeus?
36 Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.
Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash.
37 For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers 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.
So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, 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 seek anything concerning other matters, it must be settled in the lawful 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.”
For we are in danger of being charged with rioting in connection with today's events, since there is no reason we can give to account for this disorderly gathering.”
41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
And after saying this, he dismissed the assembly.
