| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples | 1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples there |
| 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” | 2and said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." |
| 3“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied. | 3So Paul said, "Into what then were you baptized?" "Into John's baptism," they replied. |
| 4Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” | 4Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." |
| 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. | 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, |
| 6And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. | 6and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. |
| 7There were about twelve men in all. | 7(Now there were about twelve men in all.) |
| 8Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. | 8So Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of God. |
| 9But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. | 9But when some were stubborn and refused to believe, reviling the Way before the congregation, he left them and took the disciples with him, addressing them every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. |
| 10This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. | 10This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. |
| 11God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, | 11God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul's hands, |
| 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them. | 12so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. |
| 13Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.” | 13But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, "I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." |
| 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. | 14(Now seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) |
| 15Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” | 15But the evil spirit replied to them, "I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?" |
| 16Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded. | 16Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. |
| 17This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. | 17This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. |
| 18Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds. | 18Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. |
| 19And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. | 19Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. |
| 20So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail. | 20In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail. |
| 21After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.” | 21Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." |
| 22He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia. | 22So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. |
| 23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. | 23At that time a great disturbance took place concerning the Way. |
| 24It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen. | 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen. |
| 25Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity. | 25He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business. |
| 26And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. | 26And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. |
| 27There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.” | 27There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness." |
| 28When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” | 28When they heard this they became enraged and began to shout, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" |
| 29Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. | 29The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions. |
| 30Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him. | 30But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, the disciples would not let him. |
| 31Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre. | 31Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater. |
| 32Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there. | 32So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. |
| 33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people. | 33Some of the crowd concluded it was about Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. Alexander, gesturing with his hand, was wanting to make a defense before the public assembly. |
| 34But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” | 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for about two hours. |
| 35Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? | 35After the city secretary quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven? |
| 36Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash. | 36So because these facts are indisputable, you must keep quiet and not do anything reckless. |
| 37For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess. | 37For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. |
| 38So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there. | 38If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. |
| 39But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly. | 39But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly. |
| 40For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.” | 40For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause we can give to explain this disorderly gathering." |
| 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. | 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. |
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