“1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul
having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding
certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost
since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard
whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then
were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul,
John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the
people, that they should believe on him which should come after him,
that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard [this], they were baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon
them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and
prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve.”
“8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of
three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom
of God. 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake
evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and
separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which
dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 11
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 So that from
his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the
diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
“13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to
call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus,
saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were
seven sons of [one] Sceva, a Jew, [and] chief of the priests, which did
so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I
know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped
on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they
fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all
the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all,
and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many that believed
came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which
used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before
all [men]: 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 After 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 also see Rome. 22 So he sent into
Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus;
but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. 23 And the same time there
arose no small stir about that way. 24 For a certain [man] named
Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought
no small gain unto the craftsmen; 25 Whom he called together with the
workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft
we have our wealth. 26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at
Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and
turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made
with hands: 27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at
nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be
despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and
the world worshippeth. 28 And when they heard [these sayings], they were
full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great [is] Diana of the Ephesians.
29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius
and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they
rushed with one accord into the theatre. 30 And when Paul would have
entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. 31 And
certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him,
desiring [him] that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. 32
Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was
confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him
forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his
defence unto the people. 34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all
with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great [is] Diana
of the Ephesians. 35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he
said, [Ye] men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that
the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana,
and of the [image] which fell down from Jupiter? 36 Seeing then that
these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do
nothing rashly. 37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are
neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 38
Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a
matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let
them implead one another. 39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning
other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. 40 For we
are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there
being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. 41 And
when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.” (Acts 19:1-41 AV)
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