1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,2He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.3And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.4Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.7And all the men were about twelve.8And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.9But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.10And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.11And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:12So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.13Then 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.14And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.15And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?16And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.17And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.18And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.19Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.20So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.21After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.22So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.23And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;25Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.26Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:27So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.28And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.29And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.30And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.31And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.32Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.33And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.34But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.35And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?36Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.37For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.38Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.39But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.40For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.41And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Acts 19
English Standard Version
Paul in Ephesus
1And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland[1] country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. (Ac 18:23; Ac 18:24)2And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (Joh 7:39; Ac 8:16; Ac 11:16)3And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” (Ac 8:16; Ac 13:24; Ac 18:25; Heb 6:2)4And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” (Joh 1:7; Ac 19:3)5On hearing this, they were baptized in[2] the name of the Lord Jesus. (Ac 8:12; Ac 8:16)6And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. (Mr 16:17; Ac 8:17; Ac 10:46; Ac 13:1)7There were about twelve men in all.8And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. (Ac 1:3; Ac 13:5; Ac 28:23)9But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.[3] (Ac 9:2; Ac 13:45; Ac 14:2; Ac 19:23; 1Co 16:9)10This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (Ac 19:8; Ac 20:31; 2Ti 1:15)
The Sons of Sceva
11And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, (Ac 5:12; Ac 5:15)12so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. (Mr 16:17; Ac 19:11)13Then 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.” (Mt 12:27; Mt 26:63; Mr 5:7; Mr 9:38; Lu 11:19)14Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.15But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Jas 2:19)16And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all[4] of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.17And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. (2Th 1:12)18Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. (Mt 3:6; Mr 1:5; Ro 14:11; Jas 5:16)19And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.20So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. (Ac 6:7; Ac 12:24)
A Riot at Ephesus
21Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” (Ac 20:1; Ac 20:16; Ac 20:22; Ac 23:11; Ro 1:13; Ro 15:24; Ro 15:25; Ro 15:26; Ro 15:28; 1Co 16:3; 1Co 16:5; 2Co 1:16; 1Th 1:7)22And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. (Ac 13:5; Ac 16:1; Ac 19:29; 1Co 16:8; Col 4:7; 2Ti 1:18; 2Ti 4:11; Phm 1:13)23About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. (Ac 19:9; 2Co 1:8)24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. (Ac 16:16; Ac 16:19)25These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. (Ac 19:24)26And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. (De 4:28; 2Ki 19:18; Ps 115:4; Isa 44:10; Jer 10:3; Ac 14:15; Ac 17:29; 1Co 8:4; Re 9:20)27And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” (Ac 8:10)28When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Ac 19:27)29So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. (Ac 19:22; Ac 20:4; Ac 20:34; Ac 27:2; 2Co 8:19; Col 4:10; Phm 1:24)30But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him.31And even some of the Asiarchs,[5] who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.32Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. (Ac 21:34)33Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. (Ac 12:17)34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Ac 19:28)35And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?[6] (Ac 14:12)36Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.37For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. (Ac 19:29; Ro 2:22)38If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. (Ac 13:7)39But if you seek anything further,[7] it shall be settled in the regular assembly.40For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”41And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.