Mace(i)
1 Whilst Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having pass'd through the upper provinces of Asia, arrived at Ephesus, where finding some disciples, he said to them,
2 did you receive the holy spirit, when you made profession of your faith? they answer'd, we have not so much as heard of a holy spirit.
3 what baptism then, said he, did you receive? they replied, the baptism of John.
4 upon which Paul said, John indeed administer'd the baptism of repentance, but with this admonition, that they should believe in him, who was to come after, that is, in Jesus the Messias.
5 when they heard this, they were initiated by baptism into the christian profession.
6 and Paul having given them imposition of hands, the holy spirit came upon them, and they spoke foreign languages, and prophesied:
7 the number of them being about twelve.
8 At length Paul went to the synagogue, where he spoke with great freedom, and for three months he conferr'd with them to persuade them of the truth of the evangelical kingdom.
9 but some of them being such obdurate infidels as to inveigh against the institution before the populace, he retired, and taking the disciples with him, he instructed them daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 this he continued for two years; so that the Jews and proselytes of that part of Asia heard the doctrine of the Lord Jesus.
11 the miracles which God wrought by the ministry of Paul being of such an extraordinary nature, that by applying the handkerchiefs,
12 or aprons that had touch'd his skin, to the distemper'd, they were cured, and the evil spirits came out of the possessed.
13 Upon this, certain vagabond Jews, who were exorcists, pretended to cure demoniacs by pronouncing the name of the Lord Jesus: their form being this, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
14 these practitioners were seven in number, the sons of Sceva a Jew, one of the chief priests.
15 but the evil spirit said to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?"
16 the man who was possess'd immediately leapt upon them, got the better, and used them so roughly, they were forc'd to fly out of the house, cover'd with nothing but their wounds.
17 this was known to all the Jews and Greeks, that liv'd at Ephesus, who were all seiz'd with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted.
18 many that believed came to confess, and give an account of their past actions.
19 many that had practis'd magical arts, brought the books and publickly threw them into the fire: the value by computation amounting to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 thus the christian doctrine flourish'd and prevail'd.