Acts 19

¹Now 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.

²And 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.”

³Yet truly, he said, “Then with what have you been baptized?” And they said, “With the baptism of John.”

⁴Then 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.”

⁵Upon hearing these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

⁶And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came over them. And they were speaking in tongues and prophesying.

⁷Now the men were about twelve in all.

⁸Then, upon entering the synagogue, he was speaking faithfully for three months, disputing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

⁹But 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.

¹⁰Now 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.

¹¹And God was accomplishing powerful and uncommon miracles by the hand of Paul,

¹²so 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.

¹³Then, 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.”

¹⁴And there were certain Jews, the seven sons of Sceva, leaders among the priests, who were acting in this way.

¹⁵But a wicked spirit responded by saying to them: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know. But who are you?”

¹⁶And 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.

¹⁷And 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.

¹⁸And many believers were arriving, confessing, and announcing their deeds.

¹⁹Then 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.

²⁰In this way, the Word of God was increasing strongly and was being confirmed.

²¹Then, 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.”

²²But sending two of those who were ministering to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself remained for a time in Asia.

²³Now at that time, there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way of the Lord.

²⁴For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith making silver shrines for Diana, was providing no small profit to craftsmen.

²⁵And calling them together, with those who were employed in the same way, he said: “Men, you know that our income is from this craft.

²⁶And 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.’

²⁷Thus, 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.”

²⁸Upon hearing this, they were filled with anger, and they cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

²⁹And 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.

³⁰Then, when Paul wanted to enter to the people, the disciples would not permit him.

³¹And some of the leaders from Asia, who were his friends, also sent to him, requesting that he not present himself in the amphitheater.

³²But others were crying out various things. For the assembly was in confusion, and most did not know the reason they had been called together.

³³So 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.

³⁴But 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!”

³⁵And 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?

³⁶Therefore, since these things are not able to be contradicted, it is necessary for you to be calm and to do nothing rash.

³⁷For you have brought forward these men, who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers against your goddess.

³⁸But 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.

³⁹But if you would inquire about other things, this can be decided in a lawful assembly.

⁴⁰For 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.

Acts 19

¹And it came to pass, while Apollo was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

²And he said to them: Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? But they said to him: We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost.

³And he said: In what then were you baptized? Who said: In John's baptism.

⁴Then Paul said: John baptized the people with the baptism of penance saying: That they should believe in him, who was to come after him, that is to say, in Jesus.

⁵Having heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

⁶And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them: and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

⁷And all the men were about twelve.

⁸And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and exhorting concerning the kingdom of God.

⁹But when some were hardened and believed not, speaking evil of the way of the Lord before the multitude, departing from them, he separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

¹⁰And this continued for the space of two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Gentiles.

¹¹And God wrought by the hand of Paul more than common miracles.

¹²So that even there were brought from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons: and the diseases departed from them: and the wicked spirits went out of them.

¹³Now some also of the Jewish exorcists, who went about, attempted to invoke over them that had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: I conjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.

¹⁴And there were certain men, seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, that did this.

¹⁵But the wicked spirit, answering, said to them: Jesus I know: and Paul I know. But who are you?

¹⁶And the man in whom the wicked spirit was, leaping upon them and mastering them both, prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

¹⁷And this became known to all the Jews and the Gentiles that dwelt a Ephesus. And fear fell on them all: and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

¹⁸And many of them that believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds

¹⁹And many of them who had followed curious arts brought together their books and burnt them before all. And, counting the price of them, they found the money to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

²⁰So mightily grew the word of God and was confirmed.

²¹And when these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying: After I have been there, I must see Rome also.

²²And sending into Macedonia two of them that ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself remained for a time in Asia.

²³Now at that time there arose no small disturbance about the way of the Lord.

²⁴For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver temples for Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen.

²⁵Whom he calling together with the workmen of like occupation, said: Sirs, you know that our gain is by this trade.

²⁶And you see and hear that this Paul, by persuasion hath drawn away a great multitude, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, saying: they are not gods which are made by hands.

²⁷So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought, but also the temple of great Diana shall be reputed for nothing! Yea, and her majesty shall begin to be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

²⁸Having heard these things, they were full of anger and cried out, saying: Great is Diana of the Ephesians!

²⁹And the whole city was filled with confusion. And having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

³⁰And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

³¹And some also of the rulers of Asia, who were his friends, sent unto him, desiring that he would not venture himself into the theatre.

³²Now some cried one thing, some another. For the assembly was confused: and the greater part knew not for what cause they were come together.

³³And they drew forth Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews thrusting him forward. And Alexander, beckoning with his hand for silence, would have given the people satisfaction,

³⁴But as soon as they perceived him to be a Jew, all with one voice, for the space of about two, hours, cried out: Great is Diana of the Ephesians!

³⁵And when the town clerk had appeased the multitudes, he said: Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Diana and of Jupiter's offspring?

³⁶For as much therefore as these things cannot be contradicted, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly.

³⁷For you have brought hither these men, who are neither guilty of sacrilege nor of blasphemy against your goddess.

³⁸But if Demetrius and the craftsmen that are with him have a matter against any man, the courts of justice are open: and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.

³⁹And if you inquire after any other matter, it may be decided in a lawful assembly.

⁴⁰For we are even in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no man guilty (of whom we may give account) of this concourse. And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.