< Acts 19 >
1 And it came to pass, while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul having come through the upper regions came down into Ephesus: and found certain disciples,
2 and said to them, Have you received the Holy Ghost, having believed? And they said to him, But we have not heard if the Holy Ghost is (given).
3 And he said, Into what then were you baptized? And they said, Into the baptism of John.
4 And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on the one coming after him, that is Jesus.
5 And they, having heard, were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus;
6 and Paul having laid his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they continued to speak with tongues, and prophesy.
7 And they were all about twelve men.
8 And having come into the synagogue, he preached boldly three months, expounding and persuading them as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9 But when some were becoming hardened and disbelieving, speaking evil of the way in the presence of the multitude, departing from them he separated his disciples, daily expounding in the school of Tyrannus.
10 And this took place two years; so that all dwelling in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11 And God was working great miracles through the hands of Paul;
12 so that napkins and aprons were carried from his body and placed on the sick, and diseases departed from them, and evil spirits went out of them.
13 And certain ones of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to call the name of the Lord Jesus, over those having evil spirits saying, I adjure you in the name of Jesus whom Paul is preaching.
14 And there were certain seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish high priest, doing this.
15 But the evil spirit responding said to them, I know Jesus, and am acquainted with Paul; but who are you?
16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit, leaping on them, domineering over both of them, prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified;
18 and many of those having believed came, confessing, and renouncing their practices.
19 And many of those practicing curious arts, having brought their books, burnt them before all: and they estimated the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 Thus the word of the Lord increased and accumulated strength according to His power.
21 And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in spirit, having traveled through Macedonia and Achaia, to go on into Jerusalem, saying that, After I am there it behooves me also to see Rome.
22 And having sent two of those ministering to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, himself spent the time in Asia.
23 And at that time there was no small commotion concerning the way.
24 For a certain Demetrius by name, a silversmith, making silver shrines of Diana, was bringing no small gain to the mechanics,
25 whom having assembled and the laborers about such things, he said, Men, you know that it is from this work that prosperity is to us:
26 and you see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, that this Paul having persuaded them has turned away a great multitude, saying that there are no gods made with hands.
27 And not only is this interest in danger to us to come into disrepute; but even the temple of the great goddess Diana to be considered for nought, and they are about even to despise the majesty of her, whom all Asia and the world worships.
28 And hearing and being filled with rage, they continued to cry out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29 And the city was filled with commotion: and they rushed of one accord into the theatre, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians, the companions of Paul.
30 And Paul wishing to go in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not;
31 and certain ones of the Asiatic rulers, also being friends to him, having sent to him, continued to entreat him not to give himself up into the theatre.
32 Then indeed they continued to cry out some one thing, and some another: for the church was confused; and the most of them did not know on account of what they had come together.
33 And some from the crowd forced in Alexander, the Jews precipitating him forward; and Alexander, beckoning with his hand, wished to apologize to the people.
34 But recognizing that he is a Jew, there was one voice from all crying out about two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
35 And the city clerk having dismissed the multitudes, said, Ephesian men, for what one of men is there that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana, and of the statue having fallen down from Jupiter?
36 Therefore these things being unquestionable, it is necessary that you become calm, and do nothing rashly.
37 For you have led in these men, who are neither robbers of temples, nor are they blaspheming your goddess.
38 If indeed therefore Demetrius, and the mechanics along with him, have a charge against any one, the courts are in session, and there are lawyers: let them implead one another.
39 But if you are seeking something concerning other things, it shall be settled in the lawful church.
40 For indeed we are in danger of prosecution for the disturbance this day, there being no cause concerning which we shall be able to give a reason for this uproar.
41 And having said these things, he dismissed the church.
