Acts 19
1 And it came to pass while Apollos was at Corinth, for Paul, having passed through the upper regions, to come to Ephesus. And having found some disciples,
During the stay of Apollos in Corinth, Paul, after passing through the inland districts, came to Ephesus, where he found a few disciples.
2 he said to them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said to him, But we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."
3 And he said to them, Into what then were ye immersed? And they said, Into John's immersion.
"Into what then were you baptized?" he asked. "Into John's baptism," they replied.
4 And Paul said, John indeed immersed an immersion of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus, the Christ.
"John," he said, "administered a baptism of repentance, bidding the people believe on One who was to come after him; namely, on Jesus."
5 And when they heard this, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Jesus.
On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus;
6 And Paul having laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues, and prophesied.
and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
They numbered in all about twelve men.
8 And after entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly for three months, discoursing and persuading the things about the kingdom of God.
Afterwards he went into the synagogue. There for three months he continued to preach fearlessly, explaining in words which carried conviction the truths which concern the Kingdom of God.
9 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, having withdrawn from them, he separated the disciples, discoursing daily in the school of a certain Tyrannus.
But some grew obstinate in unbelief and spoke evil of the new faith before all the congregation. So Paul left them, and, taking with him those who were disciples, held discussions daily in Tyrannus's lecture-hall.
10 And this happened for two years, so as for all those dwelling in Asia to hear the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, heard the Lord's Message.
11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
God also brought about extraordinary miracles through Paul's instrumentality.
12 so as to even bring handkerchiefs or aprons from his skin to those who were incapacitated and to free their infirmities from them, and the evil spirits to go out from them.
Towels or aprons, for instance, which Paul had handled used to be carried to the sick, and they recovered from their ailments, or the evil spirits left them.
13 But some of the wandering Jewish exorcists, attempted to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims.
But there were also some wandering Jewish exorcists who undertook to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."
14 And there were some sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, seven doing this.
There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew of high-priestly family, who were doing this.
15 And having answered, the evil spirit said, I know Jesus and I recognize Paul, but who are ye?
"Jesus I know," the evil spirit answered, "and Paul I have heard of, but who are you?"
16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit, leaping on them, and having overpowered them, he prevailed against them, so as for them to flee out of that house naked and wounded.
And the man in whom the evil spirit was sprang on two of them, over-mastered them both, and treated them with such violence, that they fled from the house stripped of their clothes and wounded.
17 And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, to those who dwell at Ephesus. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
All the people of Ephesus, Jews as well as Greeks, came to know of this. There was widespread terror, and they began to hold the name of the Lord Jesus in high honour.
18 And many of those who have believed came, confessing, and reporting their practices.
Many also of those who believed came confessing without reserve what their conduct had been,
19 And a considerable number of those who practiced magical things, having brought their books together, burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
and not a few of those who had practised magical arts brought their books together and burnt them in the presence of all. The total value was reckoned and found to be 50,000 silver coins.
20 Thus the word of the Lord was growing mightily and was prevailing.
Thus mightily did the Lord's Message spread and triumph!
21 Now when these things were fulfilled, Paul decided in the spirit, after passing through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, having said, After becoming there, I must also see Rome.
When matters had reached this point, Paul decided in his own mind to travel through Macedonia and Greece, and go to Jerusalem. "After that," he said, "I must also see Rome."
22 And having sent into Macedonia two of those who help him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
But he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself remained for a while in Roman Asia.
23 And about that time there developed no small stir about the Way.
Now just at that time there arose no small commotion about the new faith.
24 For a certain silversmith named Demetrius who makes silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little work to the craftsmen,
There was a certain Demetrius, a silversmith, who made miniature silver sanctuaries of Diana, a business which brought great gain to the mechanics in his employ.
25 to whom also (having assembled the workmen about such things) he said, Men, ye know that our prosperity is from this work.
He called his workmen together, and others who were engaged in similar trades, and said to them, "You men well know that our prosperity depends on this business of ours;
26 And ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this man Paul, having persuaded them, turned away a considerable multitude, saying that there are no gods made by hands.
and you see and hear that, not in Ephesus only but throughout almost the whole province of Asia, this fellow Paul has led away a vast number of people by inducing them to believe that they are not gods at all that are made by men's hands.
27 And not only is this our part liable to come into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis is going to be regarded for nothing, and also her magnificence be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.
There is danger, therefore, not only that this our trade will become of no account, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will fall into utter disrepute, and that before long she will be actually deposed from her majestic rank--she who is now worshipped by the whole province of Asia; nay, by the whole world."
28 And when they heard this, having become full of wrath, they cried out, saying, The great Artemis of Ephesians.
After listening to this harangue, they became furiously angry and kept calling out, "Great is the Ephesian Diana!"
29 And the whole city was filled with the confusion. And they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, traveling companions of Paul.
The riot and uproar spread through the whole city, till at last with one accord they rushed into the Theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were fellow travellers with Paul.
30 And when Paul wanted to enter in to the crowd, the disciples did not let him.
Then Paul would have liked to go in and address the people, but the disciples would not let him do so.
31 And also some of the Asian officers, being their friends, having sent to him, implored him not to give himself into the theatre.
A few of the public officials, too, who were friendly to him, sent repeated messages entreating him not to venture into the Theatre.
32 Indeed therefore some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was confused, and most had not seen why they had come together.
The people, meanwhile, kept shouting, some one thing and some another; for the assembly was all uproar and confusion, and the greater part had no idea why they had come together.
33 And they urged forward Alexander out of the multitude, having put him forward from the Jews. And Alexander having waved his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
Then some of the people crowded round Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward; and Alexander, motioning with his hand to get silence, was prepared to make a defence to the people.
34 But after recognizing that he was a Jew, one voice developed from them all, crying out for about two hours, The great Artemis of Ephesians.
No sooner, however, did they see that he was a Jew, than there arose from them all one roar of shouting, lasting about two hours. "Great is the Ephesian Diana," they said.
35 And when the town clerk calmed the multitude, he says, Ephesian men, now who is the man who does not know the city of the Ephesians being temple-guardian of the great goddess Artemis, and of what fell from Zeus?
At length the Recorder quieted them down. "Men of Ephesus," he said, "who is there of all mankind that needs to be told that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Diana and of the image which fell down from Zeus?
36 Therefore these things being undeniable, ye ought to be restrained, and do nothing rash.
These facts, then, being unquestioned, it becomes you to maintain your self-control and not act recklessly.
37 For ye brought these men, who are neither sacrilegious nor blaspheming your goddess.
For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38 Indeed therefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen with him, have a matter against any man, forums are brought, and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse each other.
If, however, Demetrius and the mechanics who support his contention have a grievance against any one, there are Assize-days and there are Proconsuls: let the persons interested accuse one another.
39 And if ye seek anything about other things, it will be decided in the assembly within law.
But if you desire anything further, it will have to be settled in the regular assembly.
40 For we are also in danger to be accused about the uproar today, there being no cause about which we can give account of this commotion.
For in connexion with to-day's proceedings there is danger of our being charged with attempted insurrection, there having been no real reason for this riot; nor shall we be able to justify the behaviour of this disorderly mob."
41 And having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
With these words he dismissed the assembly.
