Acts 19

Paul in Ephesus

1Now it happened that while 1Apollos was in 2Corinth, Paul passed through the 3upper country and came to 4Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2He said to them, “5Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “On the contrary, 6we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.” 3And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “7Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “8John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people 9to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5When they heard this, they were 10baptized 11in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had 12laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began 13speaking with tongues and 14prophesying. 7There were about twelve men in all.

8And he entered 15the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, having discussions and persuading them 16about the kingdom of God. 9But when 17some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of 1819the Way before the 20people, he withdrew from them and took 21the disciples away with him, and had discussions daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10This took place for 22two years, so that all who lived in 2324Asia heard 25the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Miracles at Ephesus

11God was performing 26extraordinary 27miracles by the hands of Paul, 1228so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and 29the evil spirits went out. 13But also some of the Jewish 30exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to 31use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 14Now there were seven sons of 32Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, doing this. 15But the evil spirit responded and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you?” 16And the man in whom was the evil spirit, pounced 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 who lived in 33Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18Also many 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 added up the prices of 34the books and found it to be fifty thousand 3536pieces of silver. 20So 3738the word of the Lord 39was growing and prevailing mightily.

21Now after these things were finished, Paul resolved in 40the Spirit to 41go to Jerusalem 42after he had passed through 43Macedonia and 44Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, 45I must also see Rome.” 22And after he sent into 46Macedonia two of 47those who assisted him, 48Timothy and 49Erastus, he himself stayed in 5051Asia for a while.

23About that time 52a major disturbance occurred in regard to 5354the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of 55Artemis, 56was bringing 57considerable 58business to the craftsmen; 25he gathered these men together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity 59depends upon this business. 26You see and hear that not only in 60Ephesus, but in almost all of 6162Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that 6364gods made by hands are not gods at all. 27Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess 65Artemis will be regarded as worthless, and that she whom all of 6667Asia and 68the 69world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

28When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began shouting, saying, “Great is 70Artemis of the 71Ephesians!” 29The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging along 72Gaius and 73Aristarchus, Paul’s 74Macedonian traveling 75companions. 30And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, 76the disciples would not let him. 31Also some of the 77Asiarchs who were friends of his sent word to him and repeatedly urged him not to 78venture into the theater. 3279So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the 80assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know 81for what reason they had come together. 33Some of the crowd 82concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having 83motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. 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 84Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men of 85Ephesus, what person is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great 86Artemis and of the image which fell down from 87the sky? 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 88temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and 8990proconsuls are available; have them bring charges against one another. 39But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the 91lawful 92assembly. 40For indeed, we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real reason for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41After saying this he dismissed the 93assembly.