Acts 19
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul [left the places in Phrygia and Galatia] provinces where he had been visiting, and traveled through [Asia province] back to Ephesus. He met some people [who said that they] were believers.
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 He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [God’s message]?” They answered, “No, we [(exc) did not]. We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
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 So Paul asked, “So when you were baptized, what [were you showing]?” They replied, “[We were showing] that we [(exc)] believed what John [the Baptizer] taught.”
And he said, Into what then were you baptized? And they said, Into the baptism of John.
4 Paul said, “John baptized people who turned away from their sinful behavior. He [also] told the people to believe in the one who would come after he [had come], and that was Jesus.”
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 So, when those men heard that, they were baptized [to affirm that they believed] [MTY] in the Lord Jesus.
And they, having heard, were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus;
6 After that, Paul placed his hands on their heads [one by one], and the [power of the] Holy Spirit came upon [each of] them. The [Holy Spirit] enabled them to speak in various languages [MTY] [that they had not learned], and they also spoke messages [that the Holy Spirit] revealed to them.
and Paul having laid his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they continued to speak with tongues, and prophesy.
7 There were about twelve men [whom Paul baptized and who received the power of the Holy Spirit].
And they were all about twelve men.
8 For three months after that, Paul entered the Jewish meeting place [in Ephesus on each] Sabbath/Jewish day of rest, and he spoke boldly. He convincingly taught [the people] about how God wanted to rule [MET] [their lives].
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 [A few of the people in the meeting house believed the message about Jesus]. But some of the people would not believe that message and did not want to [continue to] hear it. While many people were listening, they said many bad things about the way [for people to receive eternal life about which Paul was preaching]. So Paul left them and took the believers with him [to meet in another place]. He taught every day in a lecture hall [that a man whose name was] Tyrannus [lectured in/owned].
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 For two years Paul continued to teach people in that building. In this way, most of [HYP] the Jews and non-Jews who lived in Asia [province] heard the message about the Lord [Jesus].
And this took place two years; so that all dwelling in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11 Also, God gave Paul the power [MTY] to do amazing miracles.
And God was working great miracles through the hands of Paul;
12 [If those who were sick could not come to Paul, handkerchiefs or aprons that Paul had touched would be taken and] placed on the sick people {[others] would take [and place on] the sick people handkerchiefs or aprons that Paul had touched}. As a result, those sick people would become well, and evil spirits that troubled people would leave.
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 There were also some Jews who traveled around [to] various places, [and] they commanded the evil spirits in those places to depart [from people. Certain ones of those Jews once] tried to command the evil spirits to come out of people by saying “I command you by the authority [MTY] of the Lord Jesus, the man about whom Paul preaches, to come out!”
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 There were seven men who were doing that. They were sons of a man named Sceva, a Jew, [who called himself] a chief priest.
And there were certain seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish high priest, doing this.
15 But [one day as they were doing that], the evil spirit [refused to come out of that person. Instead, he] said to them, “I know Jesus, and I know [that he has authorized] Paul [to expel demons]. (But no one has authorized you [to do anything to me!]/who authorized you [to do anything to me]?) [RHQ]”
But the evil spirit responding said to them, I know Jesus, and am acquainted with Paul; but who are you?
16 [After saying that, suddenly] the man who was controlled by the evil spirit jumped on the seven Jewish men, [one after another], knocked all of them down, and beat each of them severely. He tore off their clothes and wounded them, causing them to bleed. So, [greatly frightened, they all] ran out of the house.
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 All the people who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and non-Jews, heard what had happened. So they were afraid [MTY]. They honored the Lord Jesus [MTY] [because they realized that he was very powerful].
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 [At that time], while other believers were listening, many believers confessed the evil things that they had been doing.
and many of those having believed came, confessing, and renouncing their practices.
19 Several of those who had [previously] practiced sorcery gathered up their scrolls [that told how to work] magic and burned them in a public place. When people added up how much those scrolls had cost, they realized that altogether the amount was 50,000 valuable silver coins.
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 As a result, many more people heard [MTY] the message about the Lord [Jesus], and the message powerfully [changed their lives].
Thus the word of the Lord increased and accumulated strength according to His power.
21 After those things had happened, Paul decided that he wanted to go to Jerusalem, but he decided that [first] he would visit [the believers in] Macedonia and Achaia [provinces again]. Paul said, “After I have been to Jerusalem, I must also go to Rome.”
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 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia. But Paul stayed a little longer [in Ephesus city], in Asia [province].
And having sent two of those ministering to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, himself spent the time in Asia.
23 [Soon after that], some of the people there tried to make a lot of [LIT] trouble for the people who believed the way [God revealed for us(inc) to receive eternal life].
And at that time there was no small commotion concerning the way.
24 There was a man there whose name was Demetrius who made little images out of silver. [They were models] of the temple of [a goddess whose name was] Artemis. Demetrius and the other men [who made those little images] earned a lot of [LIT] money [from selling those images].
For a certain Demetrius by name, a silversmith, making silver shrines of Diana, was bringing no small gain to the mechanics,
25 Demetrius called a meeting of his workmen and also of others who made the little silver images. He said to them, “Men, you know that we [(inc)] earn a lot of money doing our kind of work.
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 Also, you know that [this fellow] Paul has persuaded many people who live in Ephesus [to no longer buy the images that we make. Now even the people from] many other towns in our province [no longer want to buy what we make]. This fellow tells people that the gods that we have made [and worship] are not gods [and that we should not worship them].
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 [If people continue to listen to him], soon they will ruin our business. Besides, they will no longer think that they should [come to] the temple of Artemis [to worship her. People] all over our Asia [province] and everywhere [HYP] else worship [our great] goddess [Artemis. Soon people] may no longer consider that Artemis is great!”
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 All the men there were very angry [at Paul] when they heard what Demetrius said. They began to shout, “The goddess Artemis of us Ephesians is very great!”
And hearing and being filled with rage, they continued to cry out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29 Many of the other people in the city heard the shouting and went [and joined the crowd. They also became angry at Paul] and began shouting. [Several of] the people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, two men [from Macedonia] who had been traveling with Paul. [Then the whole crowd of people ran, dragging those men along with them], to the city stadium.
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 Paul also wanted to go [to the stadium and speak to] the people, but the other believers would not let him go there.
And Paul wishing to go in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not;
31 Also, some government officials of that province who were friends of Paul [heard what was happening]. So they sent someone to tell him [urgently] not to go into the stadium.
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 The crowd of people [in the stadium] continued shouting. Some shouted one thing, and some shouted something else. But most of them did not even know what the meeting was about!
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 One of the [Jews there was named Alexander. Some of] the Jews pushed him to the front of the stadium, [so that he could speak to the crowd of people]. So Alexander motioned with his hands to the crowd, [wanting them to be quiet]. He wanted to tell them that [the Jews] were not responsible [for the riot].
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 [many of the non-Jewish people] knew that Alexander was a Jew. [They also knew that the Jews did not worship the goddess Artemis. So the non-Jews there] unitedly [and] repeatedly shouted for about two hours, “Great is [the goddess] Artemis [whom we(inc)] Ephesians [worship]!”
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 Then the city secretary made the crowd stop shouting, and he said to them, “My fellow-citizens, everyone in the world knows [RHQ] that [we(inc) people who live in] Ephesus [city] guard the temple [where we worship] the great [goddess] Artemis. Also, [everyone knows that we(inc) watch over] the [sacred] image [of our goddess] that fell down from heaven!
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 Of course everyone knows that, and no one can say that these things are not true. So you should be quiet now. Do not suddenly do anything (foolish/that will cause us trouble).
Therefore these things being unquestionable, it is necessary that you become calm, and do nothing rashly.
37 You [should not] have brought these [two] men [here, because they have not done anything evil]. They have not gone into our temples and taken things [from there]. And they have not spoken evil of our goddess.
For you have led in these men, who are neither robbers of temples, nor are they blaspheming your goddess.
38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow-workmen want to accuse anyone [about anything bad, they should do it in the right way]. There are courts [that you can go to when you want to accuse someone], and there are judges [there who have been appointed by the government] {[whom the government has appointed]}. You can accuse [anyone there].
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 want to ask about something else, [you should ask] for [other officials to] resolve it when [those] officials legally assemble.
But if you are seeking something concerning other things, it shall be settled in the lawful church.
40 [And this is certainly not a legal meeting! Resolve this legally] because, if [we(inc) do] not, I am afraid [that the governor] will hear about all this noise [that you have made] and will say that we [(inc)] were trying to rebel [against the government]. If he would ask me what you were all shouting about, I would not be able to give him an answer.”
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 That is what the city secretary said [to the crowd]. Then he told them all to go [home. So they left].
And having said these things, he dismissed the church.
