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, in Apollos' being in Corinth, Paul having gone through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples,

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

he said unto them, `The Holy Spirit did ye receive -- having believed?' and they said unto him, `But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit;'

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

and he said unto them, `To what, then, were ye baptized?' and they said, `To John's baptism.'

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

And Paul said, `John, indeed, did baptize with a baptism of reformation, saying to the people that in him who is coming after him they should believe -- that is, in the Christ -- Jesus;'

5 ف َلَمّا سَمِعُوا هَذا، تَعَمَّدُوا بِاسْمِ الرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ.

and they, having heard, were baptized -- 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 on them hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,

7 و َكانُوا نَحوَ اثنَي عَشَرَ رَجُلاً.

and all the men were, as it were, twelve.

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

And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the reign 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.

and when certain were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, having departed from them, he did separate the disciples, every day reasoning in the school of a certain Tyrannus.

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

And this happened for two years so that all those dwelling in Asia did hear the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks,

11 و َصَنَعَ اللهُ مُعجِزاتٍ غَيرَ عادِيَّةٍ عَلَى يَدِ بُولُسَ.

mighty works also -- not common -- was God working through 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 unto the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the sicknesses departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them.

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 wandering exorcist Jews, took upon to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;'

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

and there were certain -- seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest -- who are doing this thing;

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

and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and 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 was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,

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 are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,

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

many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,

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 who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found five myriads of silverlings;

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

so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.

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 the Spirit, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, to go on to Jerusalem, saying -- `After my being there, it behoveth me also to see Rome;'

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

and having sent to Macedonia two of those ministering to him -- Timotheus and Erastus -- he himself stayed a time in Asia.

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

And there came, at that time, not a little stir 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 one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing to the artificers gain not a little,

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 in a crowd together, and those who did work about such things, he said, `Men, ye know that by this work we have our wealth;

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 not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this Paul, having persuaded, did turn away a great multitude, saying, that they are not gods who are made by 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.

and not only is this department in danger for us of coming into disregard, but also, that of the great goddess Artemis the temple is to be reckoned for nothing, and also her greatness is about to be brought down, whom all Asia and the world doth worship.'

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

And they having heard, and having become full of wrath, were crying out, saying, `Great the 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 whole city was filled with confusion, they rushed also with one accord into the theatre, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's fellow-travellers.

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

And on Paul's purposing to enter in unto the populace, the disciples were not suffering him,

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

and certain also of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, having sent unto him, were entreating him not to venture 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!

Some indeed, therefore, were calling out one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they were 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،

and out of the multitude they put forward Alexander -- the Jews thrusting him forward -- and Alexander having beckoned with the hand, wished to make defence to the populace,

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

and having known that he is a Jew, one voice came out of all, for about two hours, crying, `Great the 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 public clerk having quieted the multitude, saith, `Men, Ephesians, why, who is the man that doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is a devotee of the great goddess Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?

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

these things, then, not being to be gainsaid, it is necessary for you to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

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

`For ye brought these men, who are neither temple-robbers nor speaking evil 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 indeed, therefore, Demetrius and the artificers with him with any one have a matter, court are 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.

`And if ye seek after anything concerning other matters, in the legal assembly it shall be determined;

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

for we are also in peril of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being no occasion by which we shall be able to give an account of this concourse;'

41 و َبَعدَ أنْ قالَ هَذا، صَرَفَ الجُمهُورَ.

and these things having said, he dismissed the assembly.