Acts 19

ABU^{(i) 1} AND it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper districts came to Ephesus. And finding certain disciples, ² he said to them: Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said to him: Nay, we did not even hear whether there is a Holy Spirit. ³ And he said to them: Unto what then were ye immersed? And they said: Unto John's immersion. ⁴ Then said Paul: John indeed immersed with the immersion of repentance; saying to the people, that they should believe on him who should come after him, that is, on Jesus. ⁵ And when they heard this, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And Paul having laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied. ⁷ And all the men were about twelve. ⁸ And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them of the things concerning the kingdom of God. ⁹ But when some were hardened, and believed not, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ And this continued for two years; so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. ¹¹ And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul; ¹² so that also there were carried from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out from them. ¹³ Then some of the wandering Jewish exorcists took upon them to name, over those who had the evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. ¹⁴ And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this. ¹⁵ And the evil spirit answering said: Jesus I know, and Paul I well know; but who are ye? ¹⁶ And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against both, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷ And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. ¹⁸ And many of the believers came, confessing, and declaring their deeds. ¹⁹ Many of those also who practiced curious arts brought together the books, and burned them before all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰ So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. ²¹ When these things were ended, Paul purposed to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia; saying: After I have been there, I must also see Rome. ²² And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a season. ²³ And about that time, there arose no small tumult concerning the Way. ²⁴ For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen; ²⁵ whom he called together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said: Sirs, ye well know that by this craft we have our wealth. ²⁶ Moreover ye see and hear, that this Paul has persuaded and turned aside much people, not only of Ephesus, but of almost all Asia, saying that they are not gods, which are made with hands. ²⁷ And there is danger to us, not only that this branch of business will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be accounted nothing, and her magnificence will be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship. ²⁸ And hearing it, they became full of wrath, and continued crying out, saying: Great is Diana of the Ephesians. ²⁹ And the whole city was filled with confusion; and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel. ³⁰ And Paul wishing to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. ³¹ And some also of the chiefs of Asia, being his friends, sent to him, entreating him not to adventure himself into the theatre. ³² Some therefore were crying one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the greater part knew not wherefore they had come together. ³³ And they brought forward Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews thrusting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, desiring to make his defense to the people. ³⁴ But when they knew that he was a Jew, one voice arose from all, crying about two hours: Great is Diana of the Ephesians. ³⁵ And the town-clerk, having quieted the people, said: Men of Ephesus, what human being is there, who knows not that the city of the Ephesians is keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? ³⁶ These things being therefore undeniable, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. ³⁷ For ye brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples, nor blasphemers of your goddess. ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are proconsuls; let them implead one another. ³⁹ But if ye make any demand concerning other matters, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. ⁴⁰ For we are in danger of being called in question for this day's riot, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. ⁴¹ And having thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.