1And it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples,
2he said to them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye had believed? And they said to him, We did not even hear if the Holy Spirit was come.
3And he said, To what then were ye baptised? And they said, To the baptism of John.
4And Paul said, John indeed baptised with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him that was coming after him, that is, on Jesus.
5And when they heard that, they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus.
6And Paul having laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
7And all the men were about twelve.
8And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9But when some were hardened and disbelieved, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
10And this took place for two years, so that all that inhabited Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11And God wrought no ordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
12so that even napkins or aprons were brought from his body and put upon the sick, and the diseases left them, and the wicked spirits went out.
13And certain of the Jewish exorcists also, who went about, took in hand to call upon those who had wicked spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches.
14And there were certain men, seven sons of Sceva, Jewish high priest, who were doing this.
15But the wicked spirit answering said to them, Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; but ye, who are ye?
16And the man in whom the wicked spirit was leaped upon them, and having mastered both, prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who inhabited Ephesus, and fear fell upon all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18And many of those that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds.
19And many of those that practised curious arts brought their books of charms and burnt them before all. And they reckoned up the prices of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20Thus with might the word of the Lord increased and prevailed.
21And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, After I have been there I must see Rome also.
22And having sent into Macedonia two of those ministering to him, Timotheus and Erastus, he remained himself awhile in Asia.
23And there took place at that time no small disturbance about the way.
24For a certain man by name Demetrius, a silver-beater, making silver temples of Artemis, brought no small gain to the artisans;
25whom having brought together, and those who wrought in such things, he said, Men, ye know that our well-living arises from this work,
26and ye see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great crowd, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands.
27Now not only there is danger for us that our business come into discredit, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be counted for nothing, and that her greatness should be destroyed whom the whole of Asia and the world reveres.
28And having heard this, and being filled with rage, they cried out, saying, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
29And the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, having seized and carried off with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow-travellers of Paul.
30But Paul intending to go in to the people, the disciples suffered him not;
31and some of the Asiarchs also, who were his friends, sent to him and urged him not to throw himself into the theatre.
32Different persons therefore cried out some different thing; for the assembly was tumultuous, and the most did not know for what cause they had come together.
33But from among the crowd they put forward Alexander, the Jews pushing him forward. And Alexander, beckoning with his hand, would have made a defence to the people.
34But, recognising that he was a Jew, there was one cry from all, shouting for about two hours, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
35And the townclerk, having quieted the crowd, said, Ephesians, what man is there then who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of Artemis the great, and of the image which fell down from heaven?
36These things therefore being undeniable, it is necessary that ye should be calm and do nothing headlong.
37For ye have brought these men, who are neither temple-plunderers, nor speak injuriously of your goddess.
38If therefore Demetrius and the artisans who are with him have a matter against any one, the courts are being held, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another.
39But if ye inquire anything concerning other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.
40For also we are in danger to be put in accusation for sedition for this affair of to-day, no cause existing in reference to which we shall be able to give a reason for this concourse.
41And having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.