Paul at Ephesus
1 And it happened, while 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:5, 6; Titus 3:13Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through Acts 18:23the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
So they said to him, 1 Sam. 3:7; Acts 8:16"We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?"
So they said, Luke 7:29; Acts 18:25"Into John’s baptism."
4 Then Paul said, Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:4, 7, 8; Luke 3:16; (John 1:15, 26, 27); Acts 13:24"John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
5 When they heard this, they were baptized Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:12, 16; 10:48in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had Acts 6:6; 8:17laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4; 10:46they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.
8 Acts 17:2; 18:4And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading Acts 1:3; 28:23concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But 2 Tim. 1:15; 2 Pet. 2:2; Jude 10when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil Acts 9:2; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And Acts 19:8; 20:31this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Miracles Glorify Christ
11 Now Mark 16:20; Acts 14:3God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 2 Kin. 4:29; Acts 5:15so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Matt. 12:27; Luke 11:19Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul 1 Cor. 1:23; 2:2preaches." 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"
16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and Luke 1:65; 7:16; Acts 2:43; 5:5, 11fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came Matt. 3:6confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 Acts 6:7; 12:24So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
The Riot at Ephesus
21 Rom. 15:25; Gal. 2:1When these things were accomplished, Paul Acts 20:22; 2 Cor. 1:16purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Acts 20:1; 1 Cor. 16:5Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, Acts 18:21; 23:11; Rom. 1:13; 15:22–29I must also see Rome." 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, 1 Tim. 1:2Timothy and Rom. 16:23; 2 Tim. 4:20Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.
23 And 2 Cor. 1:8about that time there arose a great commotion about Acts 9:2the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought Acts 16:16, 19no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: "Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that Deut. 4:28; Ps. 115:4; Is. 44:10–20; Jer. 10:3; Acts 17:29; 1 Cor. 8:4; 10:19; Rev. 9:20they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship."
28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" 29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Acts 20:4; Rom. 16:23; 1 Cor. 1:14; 3 John 1Gaius and Acts 20:4; 27:2; Col. 4:10; Philem. 24Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions. 30 And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. 31 Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. 32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And 1 Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 4:14Alexander Acts 12:17motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. 34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!"
35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: "Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 36 Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering." 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.