1 W hile 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.

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples:

2 H e 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.”

and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given.

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

And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's baptism.

4 P aul 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.”

And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus.

5 T he people there were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus when they heard this.

And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 W hen 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.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

7 T here were about twelve men. Paul Preaches in a Place of Worship and in a School in Ephesus

And they were in all about twelve men.

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

And he entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.

9 S ome 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.

But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

10 H e 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

And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

11 G od used Paul to do powerful special works.

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

12 P ieces 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.

insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the evil spirits went out.

13 T here 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.”

But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

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

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this.

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

And the evil spirit answered and said unto them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?

16 T hen 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.

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

17 A ll 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.

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

18 M any Christians came and told of the wrong things they were doing.

Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

19 M any 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.

And not a few of them that practised magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20 T he Word of the Lord became well-known.

So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.

21 A fter 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.”

Now 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 H e 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

And having sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

23 D uring that time there was much trouble about the Christians.

And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.

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

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen;

25 H e 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.

whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth.

26 N ow 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.

And 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 are no gods, that are made with hands:

27 I t 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.”

and not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana be made of no account, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

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

And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesus.

29 T he 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.

And the city was filled with the confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel.

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

And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

31 S ome of the city leaders who were his friends told him not to go to the meeting.

And certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to adventure himself into the theatre.

32 A ll 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.

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

33 T hen the Jews pushed Alexander to the front. Alexander held his hand up and was going to speak.

And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defense unto the people.

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

But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

35 O ne 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.

And when the townclerk had quieted the multitude, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

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

Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.

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

For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

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

If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a matter against any man, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another.

39 I f you want anything else, it should be done in another meeting.

But if ye seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.

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

For indeed we are in danger to be accused concerning this day's riot, there being no cause for it: and as touching it we shall not be able to give account of this concourse.

41 W hen he had said this, he told them to leave.

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.