1 و َبَينَما كانَ أبُلُّوسُ فِي مَدِينَةِ كُورُنثُوسَ، ارتَحَلَ بُولُسُ فِي المَناطِقِ الدّاخِلِيَّةِ، وَجاءَ إلَى مَدِينَةِ أفَسُسَ. فَوَجَدَ هُناكَ بَعضَ التَّلامِيذِ،

And it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples,

2 ف َقالَ لَهُمْ: «هَلْ قَبِلْتُمِ الرُّوحَ القُدُسَ لَمّا آمَنتُمْ؟» فَقالُوا لَهُ: «وَلا حَتَّى سَمِعنا بِأنَّهُ يُوجَدُ رُوحٌ قُدُسٌ!»

he said to them, Did ye receive Holy Spirit when ye had believed? And they to him, We did not even hear if Holy Spirit was.

3 ف َقالَ: «فَبِأيِّ مَعمُودِيَّةٍ تَعَمَّدْتُمْ إذاً؟» قالُوا: «بِمَعمُودِيَّةِ يُوحَنّا.»

And he said, To what then were ye baptised? And they said, To the baptism of John.

4 ق الَ بُولُسُ: «كانَتْ مَعمُودِيَّةُ يُوحَنّا مَبنِيَّةً عَلَى التَّوبَةِ. وَقَدْ دَعا النّاسَ أنْ يُؤمِنُوا بِالآتِي بَعدَهُ، أيْ بِيَسُوعَ.»

And Paul said, John indeed baptised the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him that was coming after him, that is, on Jesus.

5 ف َلَمّا سَمِعُوا هَذا، تَعَمَّدُوا بِاسْمِ الرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ.

And when they heard that, they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 و َلَمّا وَضَعَ بُولُسُ يَدَيهِ عَلَيهِمْ، حَلَّ الرُّوحُ القُدُسُ عَلَيِهِمْ، وَبَدَأُوا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِلُغاتٍ أُخْرَى وَيَتَنَبَّأُونَ.

And Paul having laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

7 و َكانُوا نَحوَ اثنَي عَشَرَ رَجُلاً.

And all the men were about twelve.

8 و َدَخَلَ بُولُسُ المَجمَعَ، وَتَكَلَّمَ بِجُرأةٍ مُدَّةَ ثَلاثَةِ أشْهُرٍ، مُجادِلاً وَمُقنِعاً اليَهُودَ بِمَلَكُوتِ اللهِ.

And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.

9 ل َكِنَّ بَعضَهُمْ كانَ عَنِيداً، فَرَفَضُوا أنْ يُؤمِنُوا شاتِمينَ «الطَّرِيقَ» أمامَ النّاسِ. فَتَرَكَهُمْ بُولُسُ، وَأخَذَ أتباعَ يَسُوعَ مَعَهُ. وَكانَتْ لَهُ فِي كُلِّ يَومٍ مُناقَشاتٌ فِي مَدرَسَةِ تِيرانُّسَ.

But when some were hardened and disbelieved, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

10 و َاستَمَرَّ ذَلِكَ نَحوَ عامَينِ، حَتَّى إنَّ كُلَّ السّاكِنِينَ فِي أسِيّا، يَهُوداً وَغَيرَ يَهُودٍ، سَمِعُوا رِسالَةَ الرَّبِّ. أولادُ سَكاوا

And this took place for two years, so that all that inhabited Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

11 و َصَنَعَ اللهُ مُعجِزاتٍ غَيرَ عادِيَّةٍ عَلَى يَدِ بُولُسَ.

And God wrought no ordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,

12 ف َكانَتْ حَتَّى المَنادِيلُ وَقِطَعُ القُماشِ الَّتِي تَلمِسُهُ، تُوضَعُ عَلَى المَرضَى فَيُشفَونَ مِنْ أمراضِهِمْ، وَتَخرُجُ الأرواحُ الشِّرِّيرَةُ مِنهُمْ.

so that even napkins or aprons were brought from his body upon the sick, and the diseases left them, and the wicked spirits went out.

13 ف َحاوَلَ بَعضُ اليَهُودِ الَّذِينَ يَتَجَوَّلُونَ وَيَطرُدُونَ الأرواحَ أنْ يَستَخدِمُوا اسْمَ الرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ مَعَ المَسكُونِينَ بِأرواحٍ شِرِّيرَةٍ. فَكانُوا يَقُولُونَ: «أنا آمُرُكَ بِاسْمِ يَسُوعَ الَّذِي يُنادِي بِهِ بُولُسُ.»

And certain of the Jewish exorcists also, who went about, took in hand to call upon those who had wicked spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches.

14 و َكانَ سَبعَةُ أولادٍ لِرَئيسِ كَهَنَةٍ يَهُودِيٍّ اسْمُهُ سَكاوا قَدْ فَعَلوا ذَلِكَ.

And there were certain, seven sons of Sceva, Jewish high priest, who were doing this.

15 ف َقالَ لَهُمُ الرُّوحُ الشِّرِّيرُ: «أنا أعلَمُ مَنْ هُوَ يَسُوعُ، وَأعرِفُ بُولُسَ، لَكِنْ مَنْ أنتُمْ؟»

But the wicked spirit answering said to them, Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; but ye, who are ye?

16 و َهَجَمَ عَلَيهِمُ الرَّجُلُ المَسكُونُ بِرُوحٍ شِرِّيْرٍ، فَقَدِرَ عَلَيهِمْ وَغَلَبَهُمْ جَمِيعاً، حَتَّى إنَّهُمْ هَرَبُوا مِنْ ذَلِكَ البَيتِ عُراةً ومُجَرَّحِيْنَ.

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

17 و َانتَشَرَ هَذا الخَبَرُ بَينَ كُلِّ اليَهُودِ وَاليُونانِيِّيْنَ السّاكِنِينَ فِي مَدِينَةِ أفَسُسَ، فَتَمَلَّكَهُمُ الخَوفُ، وَتَمَجَّدَ اسْمُ يَسُوعَ بَينَ النّاسِ.

And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who inhabited Ephesus, and fear fell upon all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

18 و َجاءَ كَثِيرُونَ مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا مُعتَرِفِينَ عَلَناً بِالأُمُورِ الشِّرِّيْرَةِ الَّتِي كانُوا يَقتَرِفُونَها.

And many of those that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds.

19 و َجَمَعَ كَثِيرُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كانُوا يُمارِسُونَ السِّحرَ كُتُبَهُمْ، وَأحرَقُوها أمامَ الجَمِيعِ. وَعِندَما حُسِبَتْ قِيمَةُ الكُتُبِ، وَجَدُوا أنَّها تُساوِي خَمسِيْنَ ألفَ قِطعَةٍ فِضِّيَّةٍ.

And many of those that practised curious arts brought their books and burnt them before all. And they reckoned up the prices of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20 و َهَكَذا انتَشَرَتْ كَلِمَةُ الرَّبِّ عَلَى نِطاقٍ واسِعٍ، وَاشْتَدَّ تَأْثِيرُها. بُولُسُ يُخَطِّطُ لِرِحلَةِ رُوما

Thus with might the word of the Lord increased and prevailed.

21 ب َعدَ ذَلِكَ، قَرَّرَ بُولُسُ أنْ يَمُرَّ فِي مُقاطَعَتَيْ مَكدُونِيَّةَ وَأخائِيَّةَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ إلَى مَدِينَةِ القُدسِ. وَقالَ: «بَعدَ ذَهابِي إلَى هُناكَ، يَنْبَغي أنْ أذْهَبَ إلَى رُوما أيضاً.»

And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, After I have been there I must see Rome also.

22 ف َأرسَلَ اثْنَينِ مِنْ مُعاوِنِيهِ إلَى مُقاطَعَةِ مَكدُونِيَّةَ، وَهُما تِيمُوثاوُسُ وَأرَسْطُوسُ. أمّا هُوَ فَمَدَّدَ إقامَتَهُ فِي أسِيّا. مَتاعِبٌ فِي أفَسُس

And having sent into Macedonia two of those ministering to him, Timotheus and Erastus, he remained himself awhile in Asia.

23 و َفِي ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ، حَدَثَ شَغَبٌ كَبِيرٌ بِسَبَبِ «الطَّرِيقِ.»

And there took place at that time no small disturbance about the way.

24 إ ذْ كانَ هُناكَ صائِغُ فِضَّةٍ اسْمُهُ دِيْمِترِيُوسُ يَصنَعُ نَماذِجَ فِضِّيَّةً صَغِيرَةً لِمَعبَدِ أرطامِيسَ. فَكانَ هَذا يُدِرَّ رِبحاً كَبِيراً عَلَى الحِرَفِيِّيْنَ.

For a certain by name Demetrius, a silver-beater, making silver temples of Artemis, brought no small gain to the artisans;

25 ف َجَمَعَهُمْ مَعَ عُمّالٍ يَعمَلُونَ فِي حِرفٍ مُرتَبِطَةٍ بِحِرفَتِهِمْ وَقالَ لَهُمْ: «أيُّها الرِّجالُ، أنتُمْ تَعرِفُونَ أنَّهُ يَأْتِينا دَخلٌ مُمتازٌ مِنْ هَذا العَمَلِ.

whom having brought together, and those who wrought in such things, he said, Men, ye know that our well-living arises from this work,

26 و َأمّا الآنَ فَأنتُمْ تَرَونَ وَتَسمَعُونَ أنَّ بُولُسَ قَدْ أقنَعَ أشخاصاً كَثِيْرِينَ، وَأبعَدَهُمْ عَنْ شِراءِ بِضاعَتِنا. وَقَدْ فَعَلَ هَذا، لَيْسَ فِي أفَسُسَ فَحَسبُ، بَلْ أيضاً فِي مُقاطَعَةِ أسِيّا كُلِّها. فَهُوَ يَقُولُ إنَّ الآلِهَةَ الَّتِي تَصنَعُها أيدِي البَشَرِ لَيسَتْ آلِهَةً حَقّاً.

and ye see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great crowd, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands.

27 ف َهُناكَ خَطَرٌ مُزدَوَجٌ: أنْ تَسُوءَ سُمعَةُ حِرفَتِنا، وَأنْ يَفقِدَ مَعبَدُ الآلِهَةِ العَظِيمَةِ أرطامِيْسَ أهَمِّيَتَهُ. وَمِنْ شَأْنِ هَذا أنْ يُزِيلَ العَظَمَةَ عَنِ الآلِهَةِ الَّتِي يَعبُدُها النّاسُ فِي كُلِّ أسِيّا وَالعالَمِ.

Now not only there is danger for us that our business come into discredit, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be counted for nothing, and that her greatness should be destroyed whom the whole of Asia and the world reveres.

28 ف َلَمّا سَمِعُوا هَذا، امتَلأُوا غَضَباً، وَصَرَخُوا: «المَجدُ لِأرطامِيْسَ، إلَهَةِ أهلِ أفَسُس!»

And having heard, and being filled with rage, they cried out, saying, Great Artemis of the Ephesians.

29 و َعَمَّ الاضطِرابُ المَدِينَةَ كُلَّها، وَاندَفَعُوا إلَى ساحَةِ المَسرَحِ. وَهُناكَ جَرُّوا مَعَهُمْ غايُوسَ وَأرِسْتَرْخَسَ، وَهُما مَكدُونِيّانِ يُرافِقانِ بُولُسَ فِي سَفَرِهِ.

And the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, having seized and carried off with Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow-travellers of Paul.

30 و َأرادَ بُولُسُ أنْ يُواجِهَ الجُمهُورَ، لَكِنَّ المُؤمِنِيْنَ لَمْ يَدَعُوهُ يَفعَلُ ذَلِكَ.

But Paul intending to go in to the people, the disciples suffered him not;

31 ح َتَّى إنَّ أصدِقاءَهُ مِنَ المَسؤُولِيْنَ فِي مقاطَعَةِ أسِيّا أرسَلُوا إلَيهِ رِسالَةً يَرجُونَهُ فِيْها ألّا يُخاطِرَ بِدُخُولِ المَسرَحِ.

and some of the Asiarchs also, who were his friends, sent to him and urged him not to throw himself into the theatre.

32 و َكانَ بَعضُ الجُمهُورِ يَصرُخُونَ بِشَيءٍ، وَبَعضُهُمْ يَصرُخُونَ بِشَيءٍ آخَرَ. إذْ كانَ النّاسُ فِي حالَةِ فَوضَى، حَتَّى إنَّ أغلَبَهُمْ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَعرِفُ لِماذا هُمْ مُجْتَمِعونَ!

Different persons therefore cried out some different thing; for the assembly was tumultuous, and the most did not know for what cause they had come together.

33 و َكانَ بَعضُ اليَهودُ قَدْ دَفَعوا إلَى الأمامِ رَجُلاً اسْمُهُ إسكَندَرَ لِكَيْ يُمَثِّلَهُمْ، فَكانوا يَحُثُّونَهُ مِنْ وَسْطِ النّاسِ. فَلَمّا أشارَ إسْكَنْدَرُ بِيَدِهِ لِكَي يَتَكَلَّمَ،

But from among the crowd they put forward Alexander, the Jews pushing him forward. And Alexander, beckoning with his hand, would have made a defence to the people.

34 أ درَكُوا أنَّهُ يَهُودِيٌّ، فَصَرَخُوا جَمِيعاً مَعاً مُدَّةَ ساعَتَينِ تَقرِيباً وَهُمْ يَقولونَ: «المَجدُ لِأرطامِيسَ إلَهَةِ أهلِ أفَسُسَ!»

But, recognising that he was a Jew, there was one cry from all, shouting for about two hours, Great Artemis of the Ephesians.

35 ف َوَقَفَ كاتِبُ المَدِينَةِ وَهَدَّأ الجُمهُورَ وَقالَ: «يا أهلَ أفَسُسَ، هَلْ يُوجَدُ فِي العالَمِ مَنْ لا يَعلَمُ أنَّ مَدِيْنَةَ أفَسُسَ هِيَ حارِسَةٌ لِمَعبَدِ أرطامِيْسَ العَظِيْمَةِ وَلِلحَجَرِ المُقَدَّسِ الَّذِي سَقَطَ مِنَ السَّماءِ؟

And the townclerk, having quieted the crowd, said, Ephesians, what man is there then who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of Artemis the great, and of the which fell down from heaven?

36 ف َبِما أنَّهُ لا مَجالَ لإنكارِ هَذِهِ الأُمُورِ، اهدَأُوا وَلا تَتَصَرَّفُوا تَصَرُّفاً طائِشاً.

These things therefore being undeniable, it is necessary that ye should be calm and do nothing headlong.

37 ف َقَدْ جِئتُمْ بِهَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ إلَى هُنا رُغمَ أنَّهُما لَمْ يَسطُوا عَلَى مَعابِدِنا وَلا شَتَما إلَهَتَنا.

For ye have brought these men, neither temple-plunderers, nor speak injuriously of your goddess.

38 ف َإذا كانَ لِدِيْمِيترِيُوسَ وَالحِرَفِيِّيْنَ الَّذِيْنَ مَعَهُ شَكوَى عَلَى أحَدٍ، فَهُناكَ مَحاكِمُ تَفتَحُ أبوابَها للقَضاءِ. وَهُناكَ وُلاةٌ، فَلْيَرفَعُوا شَكْواهُمْ هُناكَ.

If therefore Demetrius and the artisans who with him have a matter against any one, the courts are being held, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another.

39 و َإذا كانَتْ لَدَيْكُمْ مَسألَةٌ أُخْرَى تُرِيدُونَ إثارَتَها، فَناقِشُوها فِي الاجتِماعِ العامِ لِأهلِ المَدِينَةِ.

But if ye inquire anything concerning other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.

40 أ مّا بِأُسلُوبِكُمْ هَذا، فَإنَّكُمْ تُعَرِّضُونَنا لِتُهمَةِ إثارَةِ الشَّغبِ بِسَبَبِ ما حَدَثَ اليَومَ. وَلا يُوجَدُ لَدَيْنا سَبَبٌ نُقَدِّمُهُ لِتَبرِيْرِ هَذا الهِياجِ.»

For also we are in danger to be put in accusation for sedition for this of to-day, no cause existing in reference to which we shall be able to give a reason for this concourse.

41 و َبَعدَ أنْ قالَ هَذا، صَرَفَ الجُمهُورَ.

And having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.