Chapter 19

1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the inland regions and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.

2Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No. We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” They replied, “John’s baptism.”

4Paul explained, “John baptized people as a sign that they were turning away from sin. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him—that is, in Jesus.”

5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6Paul placed his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. They spoke in other languages and delivered messages from God.

7There were about twelve men in all.

8Paul entered the synagogue, the Jewish meeting place, and spoke boldly there for three months. He discussed God’s rule with the people and tried to persuade them.

9But some became stubborn and refused to believe. They spoke badly about the Way—the way of life taught by Jesus—in front of the crowd. So Paul left them and took the disciples with him. Every day he held discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

10This continued for two years. As a result, everyone living in the Roman province of Asia heard the Lord’s message, both Jews and Greeks.

11God performed extraordinary miracles through Paul.

12People even carried cloths and work aprons that had touched Paul’s skin to those who were sick. Their diseases left them, and evil spirits came out of them.

13Some traveling Jewish exorcists also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over people who had evil spirits. They would say, “I command you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims!”

14Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.

15But the evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul—but who are you?”

16Then the man who had the evil spirit leaped on them. He overpowered both of them and beat them so badly that they fled from the house without their clothes and covered with wounds.

17Everyone living in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, heard what had happened. Fear seized them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

18Many who had believed came and openly confessed what they had been doing.

19Many who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in front of everyone. When their value was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand silver coins.

20In this powerful way, the Lord’s message continued to spread and gain strength.

21After these events, Paul resolved to travel through the regions of Macedonia and Achaia and then go to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

22Paul sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

23About that time, serious trouble arose because of the Way.

24A silversmith named Demetrius made silver models of the temple of Artemis, the city’s revered goddess. His business provided substantial work for the craftspeople.

25Demetrius gathered them together, along with others who worked in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that this business is the source of our prosperity.

26“You can see and hear what this Paul has done. Not only in Ephesus but throughout nearly the whole province of Asia, he has persuaded and turned away a large number of people. He says that gods made by human hands are not really gods.

27“This creates a danger that our business will fall into disgrace. Worse still, the temple of the great goddess Artemis may come to mean nothing, and she herself may lose the majesty for which the whole province of Asia and the entire world honor her.”

28When the workers heard this, they became furious and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

29Confusion spread throughout the city. The crowd rushed together into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions.

30Paul wanted to go into the theater and face the crowd, but the disciples would not let him.

31Some senior provincial officials in Asia who were Paul’s friends also sent him messages, urging him not to risk entering the theater.

32The gathering was in complete confusion. Some people shouted one thing, and others shouted something else. Most of them did not even know why they had assembled.

33The Jews pushed Alexander forward, and people in the crowd directed attention to him. Alexander motioned with his hand for silence and tried to present a defense before the people.

34But when they realized that he was Jewish, they all shouted together for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35The city clerk finally quieted the crowd and said, “People of Ephesus, who in all the world does not know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of great Artemis and of her sacred image that fell from heaven?

36“Since no one can deny these things, you must remain calm and do nothing reckless.

37“You have brought these men here even though they have neither robbed temples nor insulted our goddess.

38“If Demetrius and the craftspeople with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and provincial governors are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.

39“If you want anything further, it must be settled in a lawful public assembly.

40“As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today’s events. There is no valid reason for this disorderly gathering, and we will not be able to explain it.” After saying this, the city clerk dismissed the assembly.