< Acts 19 >

1 And it came to pass, in Apollos being in Corinth, Paul having gone through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples,
It came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to the city of Ephesus, and found certain disciples there.
2 he said to them, “Having believed, did you receive the Holy Spirit?” And they said to him, “But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit”;
Paul said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we did not even hear about the Holy Spirit.”
3 and he said to them, “Into what, then, were you immersed?” And they said, “Into John’s immersion.”
Paul said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.”
4 And Paul said, “John, indeed, immersed with an immersion of conversion, saying to the people that they should believe in Him who is coming after him—that is, in the Christ—Jesus”;
So Paul replied, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance. He told the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
5 and they, having heard, were immersed into the Name of the Lord Jesus,
When the people heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 and Paul having laid [his] hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, they were also speaking with tongues, and prophesying,
Then when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in other languages and prophesied.
7 and all the men were, as it were, twelve.
In all they were about twelve men.
8 And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the Kingdom of God,
Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
9 and when certain were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of The Way before the multitude, having departed from them, he separated the disciples, reasoning every day in the school of a certain Tyrannus.
But when some Jews were hardened and disobedient, they began to speak evil of the Way before the crowd. So Paul left them and took the disciples from him, reasoning with them every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10 And this happened for two years so that all those dwelling in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks,
This continued for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11 also mighty works—not common—God was working through the hands of Paul,
God was doing mighty deeds by the hands of Paul,
12 so that even to the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them.
so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
13 And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took on [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the Name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches”;
But there were Jewish exorcists traveling through the area. They called on the name of the Lord Jesus so they could have power over evil spirits when they said, “By the Jesus whom Paul proclaims, I command you to come out.”
14 and there were certain—seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest—who are doing this thing;
The Jewish high priest, whose name was Sceva, had seven sons who were doing this.
15 and the evil spirit, answering, said, “I know Jesus, and I am acquainted with Paul; and you—who are you?”
An evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping on them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that they fled naked and wounded out of that house,
The evil spirit in the man leaped on the exorcists and overpowered them and beat them up. Then they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell on them all, and the Name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified;
This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. They became very afraid, and the name of the Lord Jesus was honored.
18 many also of those who believed were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,
Also, many of the believers came and confessed and admitted the evil things they had done.
19 and many of those who had practiced the superfluous arts, having brought the scrolls together, were burning [them] before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found [it] fifty thousand pieces of silver,
Many who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of everyone. When they counted the value of them, it was fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.
So the word of the Lord spread very widely in powerful ways.
21 And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in the Spirit, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, to go on to Jerusalem, saying, “After my being there, it is also necessary for me to see Rome”;
Now after Paul completed his ministry in Ephesus, he decided in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem; he said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22 and having sent to Macedonia two of those ministering to him—Timotheus and Erastus—he himself stayed a time in Asia.
Paul sent to Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, who had helped him. But he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23 And there came, at that time, not a little stir about The Way,
At about that time there was no small disturbance in Ephesus concerning the Way.
24 for a certain one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing to the craftsmen not a little gain,
A certain silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver statues of Artemis, brought in much business for the craftsmen.
25 whom, having brought in a crowd together, and those who worked around such things, he said, “Men, you know that by this work we have our wealth;
So he gathered together the workmen of that occupation and said, “Sirs, you know that in this business we make much money.
26 and you see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this Paul, having persuaded, turned away a great multitude, saying that they who are made by hands are not gods;
You see and hear that, not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people. He is saying that there are no gods that are made with hands.
27 and not only is this department in danger for us of coming into disregard, but also, that of the great goddess Artemis, the temple is to be reckoned for nothing, and also her greatness is about to be brought down, whom all Asia and the world worships.”
Not only is there danger that our trade will no longer be needed, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be considered worthless. Then she would even lose her greatness, she whom all Asia and the world worships.”
28 And having heard, and having become full of wrath, they were crying out, saying, “Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!”
When they heard this, they were filled with anger and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”
29 And the whole city was filled with confusion; they rushed also with one accord into the theater, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s fellow-travelers.
The whole city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed together into the theater. They had seized Paul's travel companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, who came from Macedonia.
30 And on Paul’s resolving to enter in to the populace, the disciples were not permitting him,
Paul wanted to enter in among the crowd of people, but the disciples prevented him.
31 and also some of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, having sent to him, were pleading [with] him not to venture into the theater himself.
Also, some of the officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message strongly requesting him not to enter the theater.
32 Some indeed, therefore, were calling out one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they had come together;
Some people were shouting one thing, and some another, for the crowd was in confusion. Most of them did not even know why they had come together.
33 and out of the multitude they put forward Alexander—the Jews thrusting him forward—and Alexander having beckoned with the hand, wished to make defense to the populace,
Some of the crowd informed Alexander, whom the Jews were pushing to the front, and so Alexander motioned with his hand, wanting to give an explanation to those who were assembled.
34 and having known that he is a Jew, one voice came out of all, for about two hours, crying, “Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!”
But when they became aware that he was a Jew, they all cried out for about two hours with one voice, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”
35 And the public clerk having quieted the multitude, says, “Men, Ephesians, why, who is the man that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?
When the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven?
36 These things, then, being undeniable, it is necessary for you to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Seeing then that these things are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
37 For you brought these men, who are neither temple-robbers nor slandering of your goddess;
For you have brought these men to this court who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38 if indeed, therefore, Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a matter with anyone, court [days] are held, and there are proconsuls; let them accuse one another.
Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have an accusation against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.
39 And if you seek after anything concerning other matters, it will be determined in the legal assembly;
But if you seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
40 for we are also in peril of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being no occasion by which we will be able to give an account of this concourse”;
For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day's riot. There is no cause for this disorder, and we will not be able to explain it.”
41 and having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

< Acts 19 >