19
1 While Apollos was
at Corinth, Paul,
having passed
through the upper
country, came to
Ephesus and found
certain disciples.
2 He
said to them, “Did
you receive the
Holy Spirit when
you believed?”
They said to
him, “No,
we haven’t
even heard that
there is a
Holy Spirit.”
3 He
said, “Into what
then were
you baptized?”
They said, “Into
John’s baptism.”
4 Paul
said, “John
indeed baptized with
the baptism of
repentance, saying
to the people
that they should
believe in the
one who would
come after him,
that is, in Christ
Jesus.”
5 When
they heard this,
they were baptized
in the name
of the Lord
Jesus.
6 When
Paul had laid
his hands on
them, the Holy
Spirit came on
them and they
spoke with other
languages and
prophesied.
7 They
were about twelve
men in all.
8 He
entered into the
synagogue and
spoke boldly for
a period of
three months,
reasoning and
persuading about
the things
concerning God’s Kingdom.
9 But
when some were
hardened and disobedient,
speaking evil of
the Way before
the multitude,
he departed from
them and separated
the disciples,
reasoning daily in
the school of
Tyrannus.
10 This
continued for two
years, so that
all those who
lived in Asia heard
the word of
the Lord Jesus,
both Jews and
Greeks.
11 God
worked special
miracles by the
hands of Paul,
12 so
that even
handkerchiefs or
aprons were
carried away from
his body to
the sick, and the
diseases departed
from them, and
the evil spirits
went out.
13 But
some of the
itinerant Jews,
exorcists, took
on themselves to invoke
over those who
had the evil
spirits the name
of the Lord
Jesus, saying, “We
adjure you by
Jesus whom Paul
preaches.”
14 There
were seven sons
of one Sceva,
a Jewish chief priest,
who did this.
15 The
evil spirit
answered, “Jesus I
know, and Paul
I know, but
who are you?”
16 The
man in whom
the evil spirit
was leaped on
them, overpowered
them, and
prevailed against
them, so that
they fled out
of that house
naked and wounded.
17 This
became known to
all, both Jews
and Greeks, who
lived at Ephesus.
Fear fell on
them all, and
the name of
the Lord Jesus
was magnified.
18 Many
also of those
who had believed
came, confessing
and declaring their
deeds.
19 Many
of those who
practiced magical arts
brought their books
together and
burned them in
the sight of
all. They counted
their price, and
found it to
be fifty
thousand pieces of silver.
20 So
the word of
the Lord
was growing and becoming
mighty.
21 Now
after these things
had ended,
Paul determined in
the Spirit, when
he had passed
through Macedonia
and Achaia, to go
to Jerusalem,
saying, “After I
have been there,
I must also
see Rome.”
22 Having
sent into
Macedonia two of
those who served
him, Timothy and
Erastus, he
himself stayed in
Asia for a
while.
23 About
that time there
arose no small
disturbance concerning
the Way.
24 For
a certain man
named Demetrius,
a silversmith who
made silver shrines
of Artemis, brought
no little business
to the craftsmen,
25 whom
he gathered
together with the
workmen of like
occupation, and
said, “Sirs, you
know that by
this business we
have our wealth.
26 You
see and hear that
not at Ephesus
alone, but almost
throughout all
Asia, this Paul
has persuaded and
turned away many
people, saying
that they are
no gods that
are made with
hands.
27 Not
only is there
danger that this
our trade come
into disrepute, but
also that the
temple of the
great goddess Artemis
will be counted
as nothing and
her majesty
destroyed, whom
all Asia and
the world worships.”
28 When
they heard this
they were filled
with anger, and
cried out, saying,
“Great is Artemis
of the Ephesians!”
29 The whole
city was filled
with confusion,
and they rushed
with one accord
into the theater,
having seized
Gaius and Aristarchus,
men of Macedonia,
Paul’s companions
in travel.
30 When
Paul wanted to
enter in to
the people, the
disciples didn’t
allow him.
31 Certain
also of
the Asiarchs, being
his friends, sent
to him and
begged him not
to venture into
the theater.
32 Some
therefore cried
one thing, and
some another, for
the assembly was
in confusion. Most
of them didn’t
know why they
had come together.
33 They
brought Alexander out
of the multitude,
the Jews putting
him forward. Alexander
beckoned with his
hand, and would
have made a defense
to the people.
34 But
when they
perceived that he
was a Jew,
all with one
voice for a
time of about
two hours cried
out, “Great
is Artemis of the
Ephesians!”
35 When
the town clerk
had quieted the
multitude, he said,
“You men of
Ephesus, what man
is there
who doesn’t know
that the city
of the Ephesians
is temple keeper
of the
great goddess Artemis, and
of the image which
fell down
from Zeus?
36 Seeing then
that these
things can’t be denied,
you ought to
be quiet and
to do nothing
rash.
37 For
you have brought
these men here,
who are neither
robbers of temples
nor blasphemers of
your goddess.
38 If
therefore Demetrius
and the craftsmen
who are with
him have a
matter against
anyone, the courts
are open and there
are proconsuls. Let
them press charges
against one
another.
39 But
if you seek
anything about
other matters, it
will be settled
in the regular
assembly.
40 For
indeed we are
in danger of
being accused
concerning today’s
riot, there being
no cause.
Concerning it,
we wouldn’t be
able to give
an account of
this commotion.”
41 When
he had thus
spoken, he dismissed
the assembly.