19:1And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having travelled through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples: and he said to them: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" 19:2But they said to him: "But we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 19:3But he said: "Into what, then, were you baptized?" 19:3And they said: "Into John's baptism." 19:4And Paul said: "John baptized the people with a baptism of repentance, telling them to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." 19:5These things having been heard, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
19:6And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they were speaking in tongues, and prophesying. 19:7And they were in all about twelve men. 19:8And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking with confidence for three months, disputing and persuading about the kingdom of God. 19:9But when some were becoming hardened, and were not believing, speaking evil of the way of the Lord before the multitude, departing from them, he separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of a certain Tyrannus. 19:10And this happened for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, Jews and Gentiles alike.
19:11And no ordinary works of power God was doing through the hand of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons were carried from his body onto the sick, and the illnesses were leaving them, and the wicked spirits were going out. 19:13And certain of the Jewish exorcists who went about also tried to invoke over those who had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: "I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches." 19:14And there were certain Jews, seven sons of Sceva, a chief of the priests, who were doing this. 19:15But the wicked spirit, answering, said to them: "Jesus I know, and Paul I know: but you, who are you?"
19:16And the man in whom there was a most evil demon, leaping upon them, and mastering both, prevailed against them, so that they fled naked and wounded from that house. 19:17And this became known to all the Jews, and Gentiles, who lived at Ephesus: and fear fell upon all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 19:18And many of the believers were coming, confessing and declaring their deeds. 19:19And many of those who had followed curious arts brought their books together, and burned them in front of all: and the prices of them having been counted up, they found the money to be fifty thousand denarii.
19:20So mightily was the word of God growing, and being strengthened. 19:21And when these things had been completed, Paul resolved in the Spirit, having passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying: "After I have been there, I must see Rome too." 19:22And sending into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself remained for a time in Asia. 19:23And at that time there arose no small disturbance about the way of the Lord. 19:24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, was providing no small profit to the craftsmen: calling them together, and those who were workmen of that kind, he said: "Men, you know that from this craft comes our gain: and you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but in almost the whole of Asia, this Paul by persuading has turned away a great crowd, saying: 'They are not gods which are made by hands.' 19:27And not only is this part of ours in danger of coming into disrepute, but also the temple of great Diana will be counted for nothing, and moreover her majesty will begin to be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship."
19:28These things having been heard, they were filled with anger, and shouted out, saying: "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." 19:29And the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one mind into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, companions of Paul. 19:30And when Paul wished to go in among the people, the disciples did not permit him. 19:31And certain also of the chief men of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him, asking that he not venture into the theatre: and some were shouting one thing, others another. 19:32For the assembly was confused: and the greater part did not know for what cause they had come together.
19:33And they drew Alexander out of the crowd, the Jews pushing him forward. 19:33And Alexander, silence having been asked for with his hand, wished to give an account to the people. 19:34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, one voice arose from all, shouting for about two hours: "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." 19:35And when the town clerk had calmed the crowds, he said: "Men of Ephesus, for who is there among men, who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the worshipper of great Diana, and of the offspring of Jupiter? 19:36Since, therefore, these things cannot be spoken against, you ought to be calm, and to do nothing rashly.
19:37For you have brought these men, who are neither sacrilegious nor blaspheming your goddess. 19:38But if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, court sessions are held, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another. 19:39But if you are inquiring about any other matter, it can be settled in a lawful assembly. 19:40For we are even in danger of being charged with today's sedition, since there is no one guilty about whom we can give an account of this gathering." 19:40And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.