19 And it so happened (while Apollos was at Corinth) that Paul, when he passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus, and found some disciples,
2 and said to them, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?” And they said to him, “We have not even heard whether there is a Holy Ghost.”
3 And he said to them, “Into what were you baptized then?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Then Paul said, “Truly, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in Him Who should come after him; that is, in Christ Jesus.”
5 And when they heard it, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
6 So Paul laid his hands upon them, and the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spoke the tongues, and prophesied.
7 And there were, in all, about twelve men.
8 Moreover, he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, disputing and persuading in things concerning the Kingdom of God.
9 But when some were hardened and disobeyed, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he left them; and separated the disciples, and disputed daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 And this was done for two years. So that all those who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 And God wrought no small miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 So that kerchiefs (or handkerchiefs) were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them. And the evil spirits went out of them.
13 Then exorcists took in hand some of the vagabond Jews to name the Name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We command you by Jesus, Whom Paul preaches!”
14 And there were about seven sons of Sceva (a Jewish chief priest) who did this.
15 And the evil spirit answered, and said, “Jesus I acknowledge! And Paul I know! But who are you?”
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was, ran at 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 who dwelt at Ephesus. And fear came upon them all. And the Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18 And many who believed came and confessed and declared their works.
19 Also, many of those who used curious arts brought their books and burned them before all. And they priced them at fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the word of God grew mightily, and prevailed.
21 Now when these things were completed, Paul purposed by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia, and to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22 So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia. But he remained in Asia for a while.
23 And about that time there arose no small trouble about the Way.
24 For a certain man named Demetrius (a silversmith who made silver shrines of Diana) brought great gains to the craftsmen.
25 He called them together, along with workmen of similar things, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this trade we have wealth.
26 “Moreover, you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that things which are made with hands are not Gods.
27 “So that not only is our trade in danger of disrepute, but also the shrine of the great goddess Diana may be despised, causing her magnificence (which all Asia and the world worships) to be destroyed!”
28 Now when they heard it, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
29 And the whole city was full of confusion. And having caught Gaius and Aristarchus (men of Macedonia, and Paul’s companions on his journey), they rushed into the theatre with one mind.
30 And when Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples did not allow him.
31 Then, some of the rulers of Asia (who were his friends) sent word to him, begging him not to show himself in the theatre.
32 Therefore some cried one thing, and some another. For the assembly was out of order, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
33 And they brought Alexander out (the Jews thrusting him forward). Alexander then beckoned with his hand, wanting to make a defense to the people.
34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, they all began chanting for almost two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
35 Then the town clerk, after he had silenced the people, said, “Men of Ephesus, what man does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image, which came down from heaven?
36 “Seeing, then, that these things are indisputable, you should calm down, and do nothing rashly.
37 “For you have brought these men here who have committed neither sacrilege nor blasphemy of your goddess.
38 “Therefore, if indeed Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the law is open. And there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.
39 “But, if you inquire about other matters, that shall be settled in a lawful assembly.
40 “For we are also in danger of being accused of sedition today, because there is no reason we may give for this riotous multitude.”
41 And after he had said this, he let the assembly depart.