And it
came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth,
Paul having passed through the upper coasts came
to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
02 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy
Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him,
We have not so much as heard whether there be any
Holy Ghost.
03 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye
baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
04 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the
baptism of repentance, saying unto the people,
that they should believe on him which should come
after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
05 When they heard this, they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus.
06 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them,
the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with
tongues, and prophesied.
07 And all the men were about twelve.
08 And he went into the synagogue, and spake
boldly for the space of three months, disputing
and persuading the things concerning the kingdom
of God.
09 But when divers were hardened, and believed
not, but spake evil of that way before the
multitude, he departed from them, and separated
the disciples, disputing daily in the school of
one Tyrannus.
10 And this continued by the space of two years;
so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the
word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands
of Paul:
12 So that from his body were brought unto the
sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases
departed from them, and the evil spirits went out
of them.
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists,
took upon them to call over them which had evil
spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We
adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew,
and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I
know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped
on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against
them, so that they fled out of that house naked
and wounded.
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks
also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them
all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was
magnified.
18 And many that believed came, and confessed,
and shewed their deeds.
19 Many of them also which used curious arts
brought their books together, and burned them
before all men: and they counted the price of
them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of
silver.
20 So mightily grew the word of God and
prevailed.
21 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.
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22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that
ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but
he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
23 And the same time there arose no small stir
about that way.
24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a
silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana,
brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
25 Whom he called together with the workmen of
like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by
this craft we have our wealth.
26 Moreover 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:
27 So that not only this our craft is in danger
to be set at nought; but also that the temple of
the great goddess Diana should be despised, and
her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all
Asia and the world worshippeth.
28 And when they heard these sayings, they were
full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is
Diana of the Ephesians.
29 And the whole city was filled with confusion:
and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of
Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they
rushed with one accord into the theatre.
30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the
people, the disciples suffered him not.
31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were
his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he
would not adventure himself into the theatre.
32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some
another: for the assembly was confused: and the
more part knew not wherefore they were come
together.
33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude,
the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander
beckoned with the hand, and would have made his
defence unto the people.
34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with
one voice about the space of two hours cried out,
Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
35 And when the townclerk had appeased the
people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is
there that knoweth not how that the city of the
Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess
Diana, and of the image which fell down from
Jupiter?
36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken
against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing
rashly.
37 For ye have brought hither these men, which
are neither robbers of churches, nor yet
blasphemers of your goddess.
38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen
which are with him, have a matter against any
man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let
them implead one another.
39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other
matters, it shall be determined in a lawful
assembly.
40 For we are in danger to be called in question
for this day's uproar, there being no cause
whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the
assembly.
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