Acts 19:8-41

8And he entered 1the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them 2about the kingdom of God. 9But when 3some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of 4the Way before the 5people, he withdrew from them and took away 6the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10This took place for 7two years, so that all who lived in 89Asia heard 10the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

11God was performing 11extraordinary 12miracles by the hands of Paul, 1213so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and 14the evil spirits went out. 13But also some of the Jewish 15exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in 16Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it 17fifty thousand 18pieces of silver. 20So 1920the word of the Lord 21was growing mightily and prevailing.

21Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the 22Spirit to 23go to Jerusalem 24after he had passed through 25Macedonia and 26Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, 27I must also see Rome.” 22And having sent into 28Macedonia two of 29those who ministered to him, 30Timothy and 31Erastus, he himself stayed in 3233Asia for a while.

23About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning 34the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of 35Artemis, 36was bringing no little 37business to the craftsmen; 25these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity 38depends upon this business. 26You see and hear that not only in 39Ephesus, but in almost all of 4041Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that 4243gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess 44Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of 4546Asia and 47the 48world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

28When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is 49Artemis of the 50Ephesians!” 29The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed 51with one accord into the theater, dragging along 52Gaius and 53Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling 54companions from 55Macedonia. 30And when Paul wanted to go into the 56assembly, 57the disciples would not let him. 31Also some of the 58Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to 59venture into the theater. 3260So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the 61assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know 62for what reason they had come together. 33Some of the crowd 63concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having 64motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the 65assembly. 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is 66Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men of 67Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great 68Artemis and of the image which fell down from 69heaven? 36So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. 37For you have brought these men here who are neither 70robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and 7172proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the 73lawful 74assembly. 40For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41After saying this he dismissed the 75assembly.