Acts 19

1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples:

2and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Ghost was given.

3And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John’s baptism.

4And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Jesus.

5And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

7And they were in all about twelve men.

8And 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.

9But 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.

10And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

11And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

12insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

13But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them which had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

14And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, which did this.

15And the evil spirit answered and said unto them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

16And 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.

17And 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.

18Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

19And not a few of them that practised curious 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.

20So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.

21Now 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.

22And having sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

23And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.

24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen;

25whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth.

26And 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:

27and 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.

28And when they heard this, they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

29And 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.

30And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

31And certain also of the chief officers of Asia, being his friends, sent unto him, and besought him not to adventure himself into the theatre.

32Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

33And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defence unto the people.

34But 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.

35And when the townclerk had quieted the multitude, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

36Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.

37For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

38If 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.

39But if ye seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.

40For 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.

41And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.