Acts 19
1 And it came to passe, while Apollos was at Corinthus, that Paul when he passed thorow the vpper coasts, came to Ephesus, and found certaine disciples,
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland districts of Roman Asia, and went to Ephesus. There he found some disciples, of whom he asked,
2 And saide vnto them, Haue ye receiued the holy Ghost since ye beleeued? And they saide vnto him, Wee haue not so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost.
‘Did you, when you became believers in Christ, receive the Holy Spirit?’ ‘No,’ they answered, ‘we did not even hear that there was a Holy Spirit.’
3 And he said vnto them, Vnto what were ye then baptized? And they saide, Vnto Iohns baptisme.
‘What then was your baptism?’ Paul asked.
4 Then saide Paul, Iohn verely baptized with the baptisme of repentance, saying vnto the people, that they shoulde beleeue in him, which should come after him, that is, in Christ Iesus.
‘John’s baptism was a baptism on repentance,’ rejoined Paul, ‘and John told the people (speaking of the “one coming” after him) that they should believe in him – that is in Jesus.’
5 And when they heard it, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus.
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,
6 So Paul layde his handes vpon them, and the holy Ghost came on them, and they spake the tongues, and prophecied.
and, after Paul had placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit descended on them, and they began to speak in other languages and to preach.
7 And all the men were about twelue.
There were about twelve of them in all.
8 Moreouer he went into the Synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three moneths, disputing and exhorting to the things that appertaine to the kingdome of God.
Paul went to the synagogue there, and for three months spoke out fearlessly, giving addresses and trying to convince his hearers, about the kingdom of God.
9 But when certaine were hardened, and disobeyed, speaking euill of the way of God before the multitude, hee departed from them, and separated the disciples, and disputed dayly in the schoole of one Tyrannus.
Some of them, however, hardened their hearts and refused to believe, denouncing the Way before the people. So Paul left them and withdrew his disciples, and gave daily addresses in the lecture-hall of Tyrannus.
10 And this was done by the space of two yeeres, so that all they which dwelt in Asia, heard the word of ye Lord Iesus, both Iewes and Grecians.
This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Roman Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the Lord’s message.
11 And God wrought no small miracles by the handes of Paul,
God did miracles of no ordinary kind by Paul’s hands;
12 So that from his body were brought vnto the sicke, kerchefs or handkerchefs, and the diseases departed from them, and the euill spirits went out of them.
so that people would carry home to the sick handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body, and their diseases would leave them and the wicked spirits go out of them.
13 Then certaine of the vagabond Iewes, exorcistes, tooke in hand to name ouer them which had euil spirits, the Name of the Lord Iesus, saying, We adiure you by Iesus, whom Paul preacheth.
An attempt was made by some itinerant Jews, who were exorcists, to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits in them. ‘I order you,’ they would say, ‘by the Jesus, whom Paul preaches.’
14 (And there were certaine sonnes of Sceua a Iewe, the Priest, about seuen which did this)
The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this;
15 And the euil spirit answered, and said, Iesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know: but who are ye?
but the wicked spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but you – who are you?’
16 And the man in whome the euil spirit was, ranne on them, and ouercame them, and preuailed against them, so that they fledde out of that house, naked, and wounded.
Then the man, in whom this wicked spirit was, sprang on them, mastered both of them, and so completely overpowered them, that they fled out of the house, stripped of their clothes, and wounded.
17 And this was knowen to all the Iewes and Grecians also, which dwelt at Ephesus, and feare came on them all, and the Name of the Lord Iesus was magnified,
This incident came to the knowledge of all the Jews and Greeks living at Ephesus; they were all awe-struck, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in the highest honour.
18 And many that beleeued, came and confessed, and shewed their workes.
Many, too, of those who had become believers in Christ came with a full confession of their practices;
19 Many also of them which vsed curious artes, brought their bookes, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fiftie thousand pieces of siluer.
while a number of people, who had practiced magic, collected their books and burnt them publicly; and on reckoning up the price of these, they found it amounted to fifty thousand silver coins.
20 So the worde of God grewe mightily, and preuailed.
So irresistibly did the Lord’s message spread and prevail.
21 Nowe when these things were accomplished, Paul purposed by the Spirite to passe through Macedonia and Achaia, and to goe to Hierusalem, saying, After I haue bene there, I must also see Rome.
Sometime after these events Paul resolved to go through Macedonia and Greece, and then make his way to Jerusalem. ‘And after I have been there,’ he said, ‘I must visit Rome also.’
22 So sent hee into Macedonia two of them that ministred vnto him, Timotheus and Erastus, but he remained in Asia for a season.
So he sent to Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Roman Asia.
23 And the same time there arose no small trouble about that way.
Just about that time a great disturbance arose about the Way.
24 For a certaine man named Demetrius a siluersmith, which made siluer temples of Diana, brought great gaines vnto the craftesmen,
A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver models of the shrine of Artemis, and so gave a great deal of work to the artisans,
25 Whom he called together, with the workemen of like things, and saide, Syrs, ye knowe that by this craft we haue our goods:
got these men together, as well as the workmen engaged in similar occupations, and said: ‘Men, you know that our prosperity depends on this work,
26 Moreouer ye see and heare, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded, and turned away much people, saying, That they be not gods which are made with handes.
and you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but in almost the whole of Roman Asia, this Paul has convinced and won over great numbers of people, by his assertion that those Gods which are made by hands are not Gods at all.
27 So that not onely this thing is dangerous vnto vs, that this our portion shall be reproued, but also that the temple of the great goddesse Diana should be nothing esteemed, and that it would come to passe that her magnificence, which all Asia and the world worshippeth, should be destroyed.
So that not only is this business of ours likely to fall into discredit, but there is the further danger that the Temple of the great Goddess Artemis will be thought nothing of, and that she herself will be deprived of her splendour – though all Roman Asia and the whole world worship her.’
28 Now when they heard it, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
When they heard this, the men were greatly enraged, and began shouting – ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’
29 And the whole citie was full of confusion, and they rushed into the common place with one assent, and caught Gaius, and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, and Pauls companions of his iourney.
The commotion spread through the whole city, and the people rushed together into the amphitheater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions.
30 And when Paul would haue entred in vnto the people, the disciples suffred him not.
Paul wished to go into the amphitheater and face the people, but the disciples would not let him,
31 Certaine also of the chiefe of Asia which were his friendes, sent vnto him, desiring him that hee woulde not present him selfe in the Common place.
while some of the chief religious officials of the province, who were friendly to him, sent repeated entreaties to him not to trust himself inside.
32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assemblie was out of order, and the more part knewe not wherefore they were come together.
Meanwhile some were shouting one thing and some another, for the Assembly was all in confusion, most of those present not even knowing why they had met.
33 And some of the company drew foorth Alexander, the Iewes thrusting him forwards. Alexander then beckened with the hande, and woulde haue excused the matter to the people.
But some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom several of the Jewish leaders had pushed to the front, and he waved his hand to show that he wanted to speak in their defence to the people.
34 But when they knew that he was a Iewe, there arose a shoute almost for the space of two houres, of all men crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
However, when they recognised him as a Jew, one cry broke from them all, and they continued shouting for two hours – ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’
35 Then the towne clearke when hee had stayed the people, saide, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is it that knoweth not howe that the citie of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddesse Diana, and of the image, which came downe from Iupiter?
When the Recorder had succeeded in quieting the crowd, he said, ‘People of Ephesus, who is there, I ask you, who needs to be told that this city of Ephesus is the Warden of the Temple of the great Artemis, and of the statue which fell down from Zeus?
36 Seeing then that no man can speake against these things, ye ought to be appeased, and to doe nothing rashly.
As these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and do nothing rash;
37 For yee haue brought hither these men, which haue neither committed sacrilege, neither doe blaspheme your goddesse.
for you have brought these men here, though they are neither robbers of Temples nor blasphemers of our Goddess.
38 Wherefore, if Demetrius and the craftes men which are with him, haue a matter against any man, the lawe is open, and there are Deputies: let them accuse one another.
If, however, Demetrius and the artisans who are acting with him have a charge to make against anyone, there are court days and there are Magistrates; let both parties take legal proceedings.
39 But if ye inquire any thing cocerning other matters, it may be determined in a lawful assembly.
But if you want anything more, it will have to be settled in the regular Assembly.
40 For we are euen in ieopardie to be accused of this dayes sedition, for as much as there is no cause, whereby we may giue a reason of this concourse of people.
For I tell you that we are in danger of being proceeded against for today’s riot, there being nothing to account for it; and in that case we will be at a loss to give any reason for this disorderly gathering.’
41 And when he had thus spoken, hee let the assembly depart.
With these words he dismissed the Assembly.
