Acts 19:13

Acts 19:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”

Context of Acts 19:13

11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”

Acts 19:13 word by word

Ἐπεχείρησαν δέ τινες καὶ τῶν περιερχομένων Ἰουδαίων ἐξορκιστῶν ὀνομάζειν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔχοντας τὰ πνεύματα τὰ πονηρὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ λέγοντες· ὁρκίζω ὑμᾶς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὃν Παῦλος κηρύσσει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thenδέde · thenG1161
• certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the vagabondπεριέρχομαιperierchomai · to go aroundG4022
• JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• exorcistsἐξορκιστήςexorkistēs · exorcistG1845
• took upon themἐπιχειρέωepicheireō · to attemptG2021
• to callὀνομάζωonomazō · to nameG3687
• overἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• which hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• spiritsπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• the nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• We adjureὁρκίζωhorkizō · to adjureG3726
• youσύsu · youG4771
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• preachethκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784

Cross-references for Acts 19:13

• Genesis 4:12When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
• Psalms 109:10May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.
• Matthew 12:27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
• Luke 11:19Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
• Acts 8:18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money
• Mark 9:38“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
• Luke 9:49“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
• Joshua 6:26At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”
• 1 Samuel 14:24Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
• 1 Kings 22:16The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
• Matthew 26:63But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
• Mark 5:7He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!”

Commentaries on Acts 19:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists - Ϛ ; Certain of the Jews who went about practicing exorcisms. Vagabond has a very bad acceptation among us; but, literally, vagabundus signifies a wanderer, one that has no settled place of abode. These, like all their countrymen, in all places, went about to get their bread in what way they could; making trial of every thing by which they could have the prospect of gain. Finding that Paul cast out demons through…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The vagabond Jews - Greek: Jews going about - ́ perierchomenōnThe word “vagabond” with us is now commonly used in a bad sense, to denote “a vagrant; a man who has no home; an idle, worthless fellow.” The word, however, properly means “one wandering from place to place, without any settled habitation, from whatever cause it may be.” Here it denotes “those Jews who wandered from place to place, practicing exorcism.” Exorcists - ̓͂ exorkistōnThis word…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. 1313. vagabond Jews--simply, "wandering Jews," who went from place to place practicing exorcism, or the art of conjuring evil spirits to depart out of the possessed. That such a power did exist, for some time at least, seems implied in Mt 12:27. But no doubt this would breed imposture; and the present case is very different from that referred to in Lu 9:49, 50. We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth--a striking testimony to the power of Christ's name in…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 19:13

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

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Paul
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Paul, Saul
• Adjuration
• Adjure
• Concourse
• Confused
• Confusion
• Craft

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