1 WHILE Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, after passing through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They said to him, "On the contrary, we did not even hear that there was a Holy Spirit."

3 He said, "How then were you baptized?" They said, "With John's baptism."

4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of a change of heart, telling the people to believe in one who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."

5 On hearing that, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,

6 and when Paul laid his hands on them the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

7 There were about twelve of these men in all.

8 For three months Paul went into the synagogue and spoke fearlessly, arguing persuasively regarding the kingdom of God.

9 When some were hardened and would not believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he departed from them and took away his disciples and discussed daily in the lecture-hall of Tyrannus.

10 This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message of the Lord.

11 Through the hands of Paul, God did miracles of no ordinary kind,

12 so that handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his body were carried to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits departed.

13 Then some of the wandering Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke over those who had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims."

14 There were seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, who did this.

15 But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know and Paul I know; but who are you?"

16 and the man in whom the evil spirit was sprang on them and overpowered both of them, and so belabored them that they fled from that house naked and wounded.

17 This became known to all who were living in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and awe fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus came to be held in high honor.

18 Many of those who had become believers came confessing and telling of their practices.

19 A number of those who had practiced magic brought their books and burned them before all. Adding up the prices of them they found the total to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20 Thus vigorously the Lord's message grew and strengthened.

21 When these things had been accomplished Paul took it in mind to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there I must see Rome also."

22 He sent on into Macedonia two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself remained awhile in Asia.

23 At that time there arose no small commotion about the Way.

24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, a maker of silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing to the artisans no small gain.

25 He gathered these and the workmen employed about such things and said, "Men, you know that from this business we get our wealth,

26 and you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but also throughout almost all Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a large number, saying that hand-made gods are not gods at all.

27 Not only is this trade of ours in danger of coming into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis is in danger of being held of no account, and she whom now all Asia and the wide world worship will be deposed from her majesty."

28 Upon hearing this, they became full of anger and shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

29 The city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed with one mind into the theater, having gotten hold of Gaius and Aristarchus, fellow travelers of Paul's.

30 When Paul wished to go in and face the people the disciples would not let him.

31 Some of the city officials who were his friends sent to him and begged him not to expose himself in the theater.

32 Some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the most did not know why they had come together.

33 Some of the crowd fixed on Alexander, since the Jews were putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand and wished to make a defense before the people.

34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, there arose one shout from all for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

35 Then the City Clerk quieted the crowd and said, "Men of Ephesus, who is there of all men who does not know that the city of Ephesus is the temple-keeper of the great Artemis, and of her image which fell down from Zeus?

36 Since these things are indisputable, you ought to be calm and do nothing rash.

37 For you have brought here these men who are not robbers of temples nor defamers of your goddess.

38 If Demetrius and the artisans with him have a charge against any one, there are court days and there are proconsuls; let the parties state their cases.

39 If you are seeking anything further, it shall be settled in a lawful assembly.

40 For we are in danger of being called in question regarding to-day's mob, and we shall not be able to give a reason for this tumult."

41 By saying this he dissolved the gathering.