Acts 19:9-41

9But when 1some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of 2the Way before the 3people, he withdrew from them and took away 4the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10This took place for 5two years, so that all who lived in 67Asia heard 8the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

11God was performing 9extraordinary 10miracles by the hands of Paul, 1211so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and 12the evil spirits went out. 13But also some of the Jewish 13exorcists, 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 14Ephesus; 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 15fifty thousand 16pieces of silver. 20So 1718the word of the Lord 19was growing mightily and prevailing.

21Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the 20Spirit to 21go to Jerusalem 22after he had passed through 23Macedonia and 24Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, 25I must also see Rome.” 22And having sent into 26Macedonia two of 27those who ministered to him, 28Timothy and 29Erastus, he himself stayed in 3031Asia for a while.

23About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning 32the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of 33Artemis, 34was bringing no little 35business to the craftsmen; 25these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity 36depends upon this business. 26You see and hear that not only in 37Ephesus, but in almost all of 3839Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that 4041gods 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 42Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of 4344Asia and 45the 46world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

28When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is 47Artemis of the 48Ephesians!” 29The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed 49with one accord into the theater, dragging along 50Gaius and 51Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling 52companions from 53Macedonia. 30And when Paul wanted to go into the 54assembly, 55the disciples would not let him. 31Also some of the 56Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to 57venture into the theater. 3258So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the 59assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know 60for what reason they had come together. 33Some of the crowd 61concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having 62motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the 63assembly. 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 64Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men of 65Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great 66Artemis and of the image which fell down from 67heaven? 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 68robbers 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 6970proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the 71lawful 72assembly. 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 73assembly.