Acts 19
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Christian Standard BibleNew Living Translation
1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.
2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" "No," they told him, "we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."2“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3"Into what then were you baptized?" he asked them. "Into John's baptism," they replied.3“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
4Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus."4Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
5When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.5As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in other tongues and to prophesy.6Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.
7Now there were about twelve men in all.7There were about twelve men in all. Paul Ministers in Ephesus
8Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.8Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.
9But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples, and conducted discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.9But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.10This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
11God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul's hands,11God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles.
12so that even facecloths or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.12When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.
13Now some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!"13A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”
14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.14Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this.
15The evil spirit answered them, "I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul--but who are you?"15But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”
16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.16Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
17When this became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, they became afraid, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high esteem.17The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.
18And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices,18Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
19while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.19A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
20In this way the word of the Lord flourished and prevailed.20So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
21After these events, Paul resolved by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem. "After I've been there," he said, "It is necessary for me to see Rome as well."21Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!”
22After sending to Macedonia two of those who assisted him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.22He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia. The Riot in Ephesus
23About that time there was a major disturbance about the Way.23About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way.
24For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen.24It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy.
25When he had assembled them, as well as the workers engaged in this type of business, he said: "Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business.25He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows: “Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business.
26You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods.26But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!
27Not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin--the very one all of Asia and the world worship."27Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”
28When they had heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"28At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29So the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed all together into the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions.29Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
30Although Paul wanted to go in before the people, the disciples did not let him.30Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him.
31Even some of the provincial officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent word to him, pleading with him not to venture into the amphitheater.31Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.
32Some were shouting one thing and some another, because the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.32Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there.
33Some Jews in the crowd gave instructions to Alexander after they pushed him to the front. Motioning with his hand, Alexander wanted to make his defense to the people.33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak.
34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"34But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35When the city clerk had calmed the crowd down, he said, "People of Ephesus! What person is there who doesn't know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple guardian of the great Artemis, and of the image that fell from heaven?35At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven.
36Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash.36Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash.
37For you have brought these men here who are not temple robbers or blasphemers of our goddess.37You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.
38So if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the courts are in session, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another.38“If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges.
39But if you seek anything further, it must be decided in a legal assembly.39And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly.
40In fact, we run a risk of being charged with rioting for what happened today, since there is no justification that we can give as a reason for this disturbance."40I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.”
41After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.41 Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Acts 18
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