1 A nd it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples

While Apollos was in the city of Corinth, Paul went through the hill country to get to the city of Ephesus. He found a few followers there.

2 h e said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you put your trust in Christ?” They said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 A nd he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

He asked them, “How were you baptized?” They answered, “The way John baptized.”

4 T hen Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

Paul said, “John baptized those who were sorry for their sins and turned from them. He told the people to put their trust in Jesus Who was coming later.”

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

The people there were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus when they heard this.

6 A nd when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them. They started to talk in special sounds and to speak God’s Word.

7 N ow the men were about twelve in all.

There were about twelve men. Paul Preaches in a Place of Worship and in a School in Ephesus

8 A nd he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.

For three months Paul went into the Jewish place of worship and spoke without fear. He taught them things about the holy nation of God.

9 B ut when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

Some let their hearts grow hard. They would not put their trust in Christ. These spoke against the Christian religion in front of other people. Then Paul took the followers away from the others. He taught them each day in the school of Tyrannus.

10 A nd this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Miracles Glorify Christ

He did this for two years. All the Jews and the Greeks in the countries of Asia heard the Word of the Lord. Paul Does Powerful Works

11 N ow God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

God used Paul to do powerful special works.

12 s o that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

Pieces of cloth and parts of his clothes that had been next to his body were put on sick people. Then they were healed of their diseases and demons came out of them.

13 T hen some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

There were Jews who went from city to city trying to put demons out of people. Some of these tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had demons. They said, “I speak to you in the name of Jesus, the One Paul preaches about.”

14 A lso there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

A Jewish leader of the people by the name of Sceva had seven sons. These sons were trying to do this.

15 A nd the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

The demon said, “I know Jesus. I know about Paul. But who are you?”

16 T hen the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Then the man with the demon jumped on the sons. He had power over them and beat them. They ran out of the house with no clothes on and they were hurt.

17 T his became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

All the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus heard about it. Because of this all the people became afraid. And the name of the Lord Jesus was held in great honor.

18 A nd many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.

Many Christians came and told of the wrong things they were doing.

19 A lso, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Many of those who did witchcraft gathered their books together and burned them in front of everyone. These books were worth 50, 000 pieces of silver money.

20 S o the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. The Riot at Ephesus

The Word of the Lord became well-known.

21 W hen these things were accomplished, 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.”

After this, Paul thought he would go through the countries of Macedonia and Greece. Then he would go to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have been there, I must go to the city of Rome also.”

22 S o he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.

He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia. Paul stayed in the countries of Asia awhile longer. The Meeting of the Silver Workmen in Ephesus

23 A nd about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way.

During that time there was much trouble about the Christians.

24 F or a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen.

A man named Demetrius made small silver buildings for the worship of Diana. His workmen received much money for their work.

25 H e called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade.

He called his workmen together and other men who made these small silver buildings. He said to them, “Men, you know we make much money from this work.

26 M oreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.

Now you hear that Paul has turned away many people in Ephesus as well as in Asia. He tells them that gods made with hands are not gods.

27 S o not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”

It could be that our work will not be respected. Not only that, the house of worship for the god of Diana will be worth nothing and her greatness will be destroyed. All the countries of Asia and the world worship her.”

28 N ow when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

They became angry when they heard this and cried out, “Great is Diana of Ephesus.”

29 S o the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.

The whole city was filled with loud cries. They caught Gaius and Aristarchus. These two men from Macedonia were with Paul. They gathered around them at the meeting place in the city.

30 A nd when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him.

Paul wanted to stand in front of all the people but his followers would not let him.

31 T hen some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater.

Some of the city leaders who were his friends told him not to go to the meeting.

32 S ome therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.

All this time some were crying out one thing and some another. The meeting was all noise. Most of the people did not know why they had come together.

33 A nd they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people.

Then the Jews pushed Alexander to the front. Alexander held his hand up and was going to speak.

34 B ut when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

As soon as they saw he was a Jew, they cried out with a loud voice for two hours, “Great is Diana of Ephesus!”

35 A nd when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

One of the city leaders stopped the noise. He spoke, “Men of Ephesus, everyone knows our city is where the god of Diana is kept. That is the stone god that fell from the sky.

36 T herefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly.

Everyone knows this is true, so you must not cry out or do anything foolish.

37 F or you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.

The men you brought here do not rob houses of worship or talk against our god.

38 T herefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.

If Demetrius and his workmen have something against anyone, we have special days for courts. Let them go to court.

39 B ut if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly.

If you want anything else, it should be done in another meeting.

40 F or we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.”

We are in danger of being asked about this trouble today. There is no good reason we can give for this meeting.”

41 A nd when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

When he had said this, he told them to leave.