Acts 19:14

Acts 19:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
• New International Version (NIV)Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

Context of Acts 19:14

12Because of this, people were taking pieces of cloth and clothes that Paul gave to them. Paul had used these things, and people took them to those who were ill. After they touched these cloths, the sick people would become well again. Bad spirits also left them. 13There were some Jewish men who travelled about to different places. They caused bad spirits to leave people. Some of them wanted to use the name of the Lord Jesus when they did this. These Jews said to the bad spirits, ‘We tell you to come out of these people. We say this with the authority of Jesus, the man that Paul teaches people about.’ Sceva was a leader of the Jewish priests in that place. He had seven sons who were telling bad spirits to come out of people. They used the name of Jesus when they did this. 15But one day the bad spirit in a man said to them, ‘I know who Jesus is. I also know about Paul. But I do not know who you are.’ 16The man who had the bad spirit in him then jumped up. He fought with the seven sons and he was too strong for them. He hurt them badly and he tore their clothes off. So the sons ran away from the man's house. Their bodies were bleeding and they wore no clothes.

Acts 19:14 word by word

ἦσαν δέ Σκευᾶ Ἰουδαίου ἀρχιερέως ἑπτὰ υἱοὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• there wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ·τιςtis · oneG5100
• sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
• sonsυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• ofΣκευᾶςSkeuas · ScevaG4630
• a JewἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• chief of the priestsἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749
• which didποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• soοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Commentaries on Acts 19:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests - The original , dignifies a Jewish high priest; but it is not probable that any sons, much less seven sons of a Jewish high priest, should be strolling exorcists: it is therefore likely that ̔ ̔, the sons of Skeva, a certain priest, as it stands in the Codex Bezae, is the true reading. The whole verse in that MS. reads thus: Among them there also the sons of Skeva, a priest, who wished to do the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14One Sceva - Sceva is a Greek name, but nothing more is known of him. Chief of the priests - This cannot mean that he was high priest among the Jews, as it is wholly improbable that his sons would be wandering exorcists. But it denotes that he was of the sacerdotal order. He was a Jewish chief priest; a priest of distinction, and had held the office of a ruler. The word “chief priest,” in the New Testament, usually refers to men of the sacerdotal order who…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-20Verses 13-20 It was common, especially among the Jews, for persons to profess or to try to cast out evil spirits. If we resist the devil by faith in Christ, he will flee from us; but if we think to resist him by the using of Christ's name, or his works, as a spell or charm, Satan will prevail against us. Where there is true sorrow for sin, there will be free confession of sin to God in every prayer and to man whom we have offended, when the case requires…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-16Paul’s ministry was effective, but the traveling Jewish exorcists (people who try to drive out evil spirits) had no real power. They used the name of Jesus as if it were a magic word. However, they did not have a personal relationship with him or the indwelling Holy Spirit (God’s Spirit living in believers). This contrast shows the difference between true faith and empty practice (compare Matthew 12:27; Mark 9:38–39; Luke 9:49–50; 11:19).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1714-17. seven sons of ... Sceva ... chief of the priests--head, possibly, of one of the twenty-four courts.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 19:14

• Demons
• Ephesus
• Miracles
• Paul
• Presumption
• Sceva
• Sorcery
• Superstition

In the dictionaries

• Adjure
• Concourse
• Confused
• Confusion
• Craft
• Curious
• Danger
• Fall
• Implead
• James

Commentaries on Acts 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings