The Holy Spirit Received at Ephesus
(Acts 10:44–48)

1Now it came to pass while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul having passed through the upper parts of Asia came to Ephesus: 2and finding some disciples there, he said unto them, Have ye received the holy Spirit since ye embraced the faith? And they said unto him, Nay, we had not even heard whether the holy Spirit be yet given. 3And he said unto them, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into the baptism of John. 4Then said Paul, John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people, that they should believe in Him that was coming after him, that is, in Christ Jesus. 5And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And as Paul laid his hands on them, the holy Spirit came upon them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And the men were in all about twelve. 7And he went into the synagogue,

Paul Ministers in Ephesus
(Ephesians 1:1–2; Revelation 2:1–7)

8and spake boldly, disputing with them for the space of three months, and persuading them of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9But as some were hardened and refractory, speaking evil of the way of life before the multitude, he departed from them, and took away the disciples with him, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10And this he did for two years; so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord Jesus.

11And God wrought extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul: 12so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases lest them, and evil spirits went out of them.

Seven Sons of Sceva

13Then some of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name the name of the Lord Jesus over those that had evil spirits, saying, "We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth." 14Now there were seven sons of one Sceva a Jewish priest, who did this. 15But the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? 16And the man in whom the evil spirit was, leapt upon them, and mastered 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 on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18And many of them that believed came confessing and declaring their former practices. 19And a great number of those that had used inquisitive arts, brought the books, and burned them before them all: and they computed the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20So mightily did the word of the Lord increase and prevail.

The Riot in Ephesus

21After these things, Paul purposed in spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, and go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. 22So he sent into Macedonia two of those that ministred to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed some time in Asia.

23Now there happened at that time no small disturbance about the way which he taught. 24For one Demetrius, a silver-smith, who made silver models of Diana's temple, brought no small gain to the artificers: whom he got together, 25and with them the workmen they employed about such things, and said, My friends, ye know that by this employment we get our wealth. 26And ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but in almost all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and perverted many people, saying, that they are no gods which are made by hands. 27So that we are not only in danger of this, that the business we follow will come to nothing; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be despised; and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the whole world worshippeth.

28Hearing this and being filled with rage, they cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 29And the whole city was filled with confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus two Macedonians, fellow-travellers with Paul. 30And when Paul would have gone in unto the people, the disciples would not let him. 31And some also of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, sent to him and desired him not to venture himself into the theatre. 32Some therefore cried one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they were come together. 33And they brought Alexander forward out of the multitude, the Jews urging him on. And Alexander beckoning with the hand, would have made a defence to the people. 34But when they knew that he was a Jew, they all cried out with one voice, for near two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 35And when the Secretary had appeased the multitude, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is devoted to the service of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? 36Since therefore these things are incontestible, ye ought to be quiet and composed, and to do nothing rashly. 37For ye have brought these men hither, who are neither robbers of temples, nor blasphemers of your goddess. 38If Demetrius therefore, and the artificers that are with him, have a charge against any one, the law-courts are open, and there are Roman proconsuls likewise: let them implead one another. 39But if ye are enquiring any thing about other matters, let it be decided in a lawful assembly: 40for we are in danger of being charged with sedition for what has happened this day, there being no cause by which we can give a reason for this concourse. 41And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.