Acts 19

1 It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples thereISV — Acts 19:1

2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”ISV — Acts 19:2

3 He then asked, “Then into what were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.”ISV — Acts 19:3

4 Then Paul said, “John baptized when they repented, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”ISV — Acts 19:4

5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.ISV — Acts 19:5

6 When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in foreign languages ^{a19:6 Or tongues; the Gk. lacks foreign} and to prophesy.ISV — Acts 19:6

7 There were about twelve men in all.ISV — Acts 19:7

8 He went into the synagogue and spoke there boldly for three months, holding discussions and persuading those who heard him ^{b19:8 Lit. persuading them} about the kingdom of God.ISV — Acts 19:8

9 But when some people became stubborn, refused to believe, and slandered the Way in front of the people, Paul ^{c19:9 Lit. he} left them, taking his disciples away with him, and held daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ^{d19:9 Other mss. read of a certain Tyrannus from the fifth hour to the tenth}ISV — Acts 19:9

10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.ISV — Acts 19:10

11 God continued to do extraordinary miracles through Paul. ^{e19:11 Lit. through Paul’s hands}ISV — Acts 19:11

12 When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them.ISV — Acts 19:12

13 Then some Jews who went around trying to drive out demons attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!”ISV — Acts 19:13

14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.ISV — Acts 19:14

15 But the evil spirit told them, “Jesus I know, and I am getting acquainted with Paul, but who are you?”ISV — Acts 19:15

16 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised.ISV — Acts 19:16

17 When this became known to everyone living in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks alike, they all became terrified, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor.ISV — Acts 19:17

18 Many who became believers kept coming to confess and talk about what they had been doing.ISV — Acts 19:18

19 Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins. ^{f19:19 The denomination of coin is unspecified}ISV — Acts 19:19

20 In that way the word of the Lord kept spreading and triumphing.ISV — Acts 19:20

21 After these things had happened, Paul decided ^{g19:21 Or Paul resolved in the Spirit} to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. “After I have gone there,” he told them, “I must also see Rome.”ISV — Acts 19:21

22 Then he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed in Asia a while longer.ISV — Acts 19:22

23 Now about that time a great commotion broke out concerning the Way.ISV — Acts 19:23

24 By making silver shrines of Artemis, a silversmith named Demetrius provided a large income for skilled workers.ISV — Acts 19:24

25 He called a meeting of these men and others who were engaged in similar trades and said, “Men, you well know that we get a good income from this business.ISV — Acts 19:25

26 You also see and hear that, not only in Ephesus, but almost all over Asia, this man Paul has won over and taken away a large crowd by telling them that gods made by human ^{h19:26 The Gk. lacks human} hands are not gods at all.ISV — Acts 19:26

27 There is a danger not only that our business will lose its reputation but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be brought into disrepute and that she will be robbed of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her.”ISV — Acts 19:27

28 When they heard this, they became furious and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”ISV — Acts 19:28

29 The city was filled with confusion, and the people ^{i19:29 Lit. they} rushed into the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s fellow travelers from Macedonia.ISV — Acts 19:29

30 Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but the disciples wouldn’t let him.ISV — Acts 19:30

31 Even some officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message urging him not to risk his life in the theater.ISV — Acts 19:31

32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, since the crowd was confused, and most of them didn’t know why they were meeting.ISV — Acts 19:32

33 Some of the crowd concluded it was because of Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people.ISV — Acts 19:33

34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, they all started to shout in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”ISV — Acts 19:34

35 When the city recorder had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who in the world ^{j19:35 Lit. who among people} doesn’t know that this city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell down from heaven? ^{k19:35 Or from Zeus}ISV — Acts 19:35

36 Since these things cannot be denied, you must be quiet and not do anything reckless.ISV — Acts 19:36

37 For you have brought these men here, although they neither rob temples nor blaspheme our ^{l19:37 Other mss. read your} goddess.ISV — Acts 19:37

38 So if Demetrius and his workers have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They should accuse one another there.ISV — Acts 19:38

39 But if you want anything else, it must be settled in the regular assembly,ISV — Acts 19:39

40 because we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, and there is no good reason we can give to justify this commotion.”ISV — Acts 19:40

41 After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.ISV — Acts 19:41