Actuum Apostolorum 19
1 Factum est autem cum Apollo esset Corinthi, ut Paulus peragratis superioribus partibus veniret Ephesum, et inveniret quosdam discipulos:
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 dixitque ad eos: Si Spiritum Sanctum accepistis credentes? At illi dixerunt ad eum: Sed neque si Spiritus Sanctus est, audivimus.
‘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 Ille vero ait: In quo ergo baptizati estis? Qui dixerunt: In Joannis baptismate.
‘What then was your baptism?’ Paul asked.
4 Dixit autem Paulus: Joannes baptizavit baptismo pœnitentiæ populum, dicens in eum qui venturus esset post ipsum ut crederent, hoc est, in Jesum.
‘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 His auditis, baptizati sunt in nomine Domini Jesu.
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,
6 Et cum imposuisset illis manus Paulus, venit Spiritus Sanctus super eos, et loquebantur linguis, et prophetabant.
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 Erant autem omnes viri fere duodecim.
There were about twelve of them in all.
8 Introgressus autem synagogam, cum fiducia loquebatur per tres menses, disputans et suadens de regno Dei.
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 Cum autem quidam indurarentur, et non crederent, maledicentes viam Domini coram multitudine, discedens ab eis, segregavit discipulos, quotidie disputans in schola tyranni cujusdam.
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 Hoc autem factum est per biennium, ita ut omnes qui habitabant in Asia audirent verbum Domini, Judæi atque gentiles.
This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Roman Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the Lord’s message.
11 Virtutesque non quaslibet faciebat Deus per manum Pauli,
God did miracles of no ordinary kind by Paul’s hands;
12 ita ut etiam super languidos deferrentur a corpore ejus sudaria et semicinctia, et recedebant ab eis languores, et spiritus nequam egrediebantur.
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 Tentaverunt autem quidam et de circumeuntibus Judæis exorcistis invocare super eos qui habebant spiritus malos nomen Domini Jesu, dicentes: Adjuro vos per Jesum, quem Paulus prædicat.
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 Erant autem quidam Judæi, Scevæ principis sacerdotum septem filii, qui hoc faciebant.
The seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this;
15 Respondens autem spiritus nequam dixit eis: Jesum novi, et Paulum scio: vos autem qui estis?
but the wicked spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but you – who are you?’
16 Et insiliens in eos homo, in quo erat dæmonium pessimum, et dominatus amborum, invaluit contra eos, ita ut nudi et vulnerati effugerent de domo illa.
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 Hoc autem notum factum est omnibus Judæis, atque gentilibus qui habitabant Ephesi: et cecidit timor super omnes illos, et magnificabatur nomen Domini Jesu.
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 Multique credentium veniebant, confitentes et annuntiantes actus suos.
Many, too, of those who had become believers in Christ came with a full confession of their practices;
19 Multi autem ex eis, qui fuerant curiosa sectati, contulerunt libros, et combusserunt coram omnibus: et computatis pretiis illorum, invenerunt pecuniam denariorum quinquaginta millium.
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 Ita fortiter crescebat verbum Dei, et confirmabatur.
So irresistibly did the Lord’s message spread and prevail.
21 His autem expletis, proposuit Paulus in Spiritu, transita Macedonia et Achaia, ire Jerosolymam, dicens: Quoniam postquam fuero ibi, oportet me et Romam videre.
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 Mittens autem in Macedoniam duos ex ministrantibus sibi, Timotheum et Erastum, ipse remansit ad tempus in Asia.
So he sent to Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Roman Asia.
23 Facta est autem illo tempore turbatio non minima de via Domini.
Just about that time a great disturbance arose about the Way.
24 Demetrius enim quidam nomine, argentarius, faciens ædes argenteas Dianæ, præstabat artificibus non modicum quæstum:
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 quos convocans, et eos qui hujusmodi erant opifices, dixit: Viri, scitis quia de hoc artificio est nobis acquisitio:
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 et videtis et auditis quia non solum Ephesi, sed pene totius Asiæ, Paulus hic suadens avertit multam turbam, dicens: Quoniam non sunt dii, qui manibus fiunt.
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 Non solum autem hæc periclitabitur nobis pars in redargutionem venire, sed et magnæ Dianæ templum in nihilum reputabitur, sed et destrui incipiet majestas ejus, quam tota Asia et orbis colit.
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 His auditis, repleti sunt ira, et exclamaverunt dicentes: Magna Diana Ephesiorum.
When they heard this, the men were greatly enraged, and began shouting – ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’
29 Et impleta est civitas confusione, et impetum fecerunt uno animo in theatrum, rapto Gajo et Aristarcho Macedonibus, comitibus Pauli.
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 Paulo autem volente intrare in populum, non permiserunt discipuli.
Paul wished to go into the amphitheater and face the people, but the disciples would not let him,
31 Quidam autem et de Asiæ principibus, qui erant amici ejus, miserunt ad eum rogantes ne se daret in theatrum:
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 alii autem aliud clamabant. Erat enim ecclesia confusa: et plures nesciebant qua ex causa convenissent.
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 De turba autem detraxerunt Alexandrum, propellentibus eum Judæis. Alexander autem manu silentio postulato, volebat reddere rationem populo.
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 Quem ut cognoverunt Judæum esse, vox facta una est omnium, quasi per horas duas clamantium: Magna Diana Ephesiorum.
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 Et cum sedasset scriba turbas, dixit: Viri Ephesii, quis enim est hominum, qui nesciat Ephesiorum civitatem cultricem esse magnæ Dianæ, Jovisque prolis?
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 Cum ergo his contradici non possit, oportet vos sedatos esse, et nihil temere agere.
As these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and do nothing rash;
37 Adduxistis enim homines istos, neque sacrilegos, neque blasphemantes deam vestram.
for you have brought these men here, though they are neither robbers of Temples nor blasphemers of our Goddess.
38 Quod si Demetrius et qui cum eo sunt artifices, habent adversus aliquem causam, conventus forenses aguntur, et proconsules sunt: accusent invicem.
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 Si quid autem alterius rei quæritis, in legitima ecclesia poterit absolvi.
But if you want anything more, it will have to be settled in the regular Assembly.
40 Nam et periclitamur argui seditionis hodiernæ, cum nullus obnoxius sit de quo possimus reddere rationem concursus istius.
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 Et cum hæc dixisset, dimisit ecclesiam.
With these words he dismissed the Assembly.
