1. 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,
2. 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.
3. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And
they said, Unto John's baptism.
4. 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.
5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus.
6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost
came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7. And all the men were about twelve.
8. 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.
9. 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.
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.
