The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 19 -

(Acts 10:44–48)

Now it happened that, while Apollo was at Corinth, Paul, after he had journeyed through the upper regions, arrived at Ephesus. And he met with certain disciples.

And he said to them, “After believing, have you received the Holy Spirit?” But they said to him, “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Yet truly, he said, “Then with what have you been baptized?” And they said, “With the baptism of John.”

Then Paul said: “John baptized the people with the baptism of repentance, saying that they should believe in the One who is to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

Upon hearing these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(a)

And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came over them. And they were speaking in tongues and prophesying.(b)

Now the men were about twelve in all.

Paul Ministers in Ephesus

(Ephesians 1:1–2; Revelation 2:1–7)

Then, upon entering the synagogue, he was speaking faithfully for three months, disputing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

But when certain ones became hardened and would not believe, cursing the Way of the Lord in the presence of the multitude, Paul, withdrawing from them, separated the disciples, disputing daily in a certain school of Tyrannus.

Now this was done throughout two years, so that all who were living in Asia listened to the Word of the Lord, both Jews and Gentiles.

And God was accomplishing powerful and uncommon miracles by the hand of Paul,

so much so that even when small cloths and wrappings were brought from his body to the sick, the illnesses withdrew from them and the wicked spirits departed.

Seven Sons of Sceva

Then, even some of the traveling Jewish exorcists had attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I bind you by oath through Jesus, whom Paul preaches.”

And there were certain Jews, the seven sons of Sceva, leaders among the priests, who were acting in this way.

But a wicked spirit responded by saying to them: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know. But who are you?”

And the man, in whom there was a wicked spirit, leaping at them and getting the better of them both, prevailed against them, so that they fled from that house, naked and wounded.

And so, this became known to all the Jews and Gentiles who were living at Ephesus. And a fear fell over them all. And the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

And many believers were arriving, confessing, and announcing their deeds.

Then many of those who had followed odd sects brought together their books, and they burned them in the sight of all. And after determining the value of these, they found the price to be fifty thousand denarii.(c)

In this way, the Word of God was increasing strongly and was being confirmed.

The Riot in Ephesus

Then, when these things were completed, Paul decided in the Spirit, after crossing through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “Then, after I have been there, it is necessary for me to see Rome also.”

But sending two of those who were ministering to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself remained for a time in Asia.

Now at that time, there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way of the Lord.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith making silver shrines for Diana, was providing no small profit to craftsmen.

And calling them together, with those who were employed in the same way, he said: “Men, you know that our income is from this craft.

And you are seeing and hearing that this man Paul, by persuasion, has turned away a great multitude, not only from Ephesus, but from nearly all of Asia, saying, ‘These things are not gods which have been made by hands.’

Thus, not only is this, our occupation, in danger of being brought into repudiation, but also the temple of the great Diana will be reputed as nothing! Then even her majesty, whom all of Asia and the world worships, will begin to be destroyed.”

Upon hearing this, they were filled with anger, and they cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

And the city was filled with confusion. And having seized Gaius and Aristarchus of Macedonia, companions of Paul, they rushed violently, with one accord, into the amphitheater.

Then, when Paul wanted to enter to the people, the disciples would not permit him.

And some of the leaders from Asia, who were his friends, also sent to him, requesting that he not present himself in the amphitheater.

But others were crying out various things. For the assembly was in confusion, and most did not know the reason they had been called together.

So they dragged Alexander from the crowd, while the Jews were propelling him forward. And Alexander, gesturing with his hand for silence, wanted to give the people an explanation.

But as soon as they realized him to be a Jew, all with one voice, for about two hours, were crying out, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

And when the scribe had calmed the crowds, he said: “Men of Ephesus, now what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is in the service of the great Diana and of the offspring of Jupiter?

Therefore, since these things are not able to be contradicted, it is necessary for you to be calm and to do nothing rash.

For you have brought forward these men, who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers against your goddess.

But if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, they can convene in the courts, and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.

But if you would inquire about other things, this can be decided in a lawful assembly.

For now we are in peril of being convicted of sedition over today’s events, since there is no one guilty (against whom we are able to provide evidence) in this gathering.” And when he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Footnotes

(a)19:5 Although the Church currently requires the Trinitarian formula for a valid Baptism, it is apparent from Scripture that some of the earliest valid Baptisms used only the name of Jesus.(Conte)

(b)19:6 After being baptized, they were then given the Sacrament of Confirmation.(Conte)

(c)19:19 A denarius was a decent day’s wage. Perhaps the equivalent today, very approximately, of about 80 dollars a day. Thus the value of those books (scrolls) was equivalent to about 4 million dollars.(Conte)

(Acts 10:44–48)

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”(a)

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

They were about twelve men in all.

Paul Ministers in Ephesus

(Ephesians 1:1–2; Revelation 2:1–7)

He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.

But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,

so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

Seven Sons of Sceva

But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.

The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”

The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.

Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.(b)

So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

The Riot in Ephesus

Now after these things had ended, Paul determined 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.”

Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,

whom he gathered together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.

You see and hear that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands.

Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”

When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.

Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had come together.

They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.

But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rash.

For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.

If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.

But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.

For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”

When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Footnotes

(a)19:4 NU omits Christ.

(b)19:19 The 50,000 pieces of silver here probably referred to 50,000 drachmas. If so, the value of the burned books was equivalent to about 160 man-years of wages for agricultural laborers