The Disciples of John Receive the Holy Spirit
Study note
Paul finds about twelve disciples in Ephesus who were baptized only with John's baptism and have never heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains that John's baptism pointed to faith in Jesus. After they are baptized in the name of Jesus and Paul lays his hands on them, the Holy Spirit comes upon them and they speak in tongues and prophesy.
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul took an inland route and arrived in Ephesus. There he found a small group of believers. And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you put your faith in Jesus?" he asked them. They replied, "We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 "Then what kind of baptism did you receive?" Paul asked. "The baptism John taught," they answered. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Paul explained, "John's baptism was about turning from sin. John told people to believe in the one coming after him -- that is, Jesus the Messiah." Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 Once they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them. They began speaking in other languages and declaring messages from God. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 There were about twelve men in this group. And all the men were about twelve.
Two Years of Ministry in Ephesus
Study note
Paul speaks boldly in the synagogue for three months, reasoning about the kingdom of God. When some become stubborn and speak evil of the Way, Paul withdraws to the lecture hall of Tyrannus, where he teaches daily for two years. As a result, all residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, hear the word of the Lord. God performs extraordinary miracles through Paul, including healings and the casting out of evil spirits through items that had touched his body.
8 For three months, Paul went to the synagogue and spoke boldly. He talked about the kingdom of God and tried to win people over. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9 But some people got stubborn and refused to believe. They publicly bad-mouthed the Way in front of everyone. So Paul took the believers with him and left the synagogue. From then on, he held daily teaching sessions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 This continued for two whole years. As a result, every person in the province of Asia -- Jew and Greek alike -- heard the message about the Lord Jesus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 God did amazing miracles through Paul. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
12 People would even take cloths and aprons that had touched Paul's skin and bring them to the sick. The diseases disappeared and evil spirits came out. So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
The Sons of Sceva
Study note
Itinerant Jewish exorcists attempt to use Jesus' name as a magical formula, saying 'I command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.' Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, try this on a possessed man. The evil spirit responds, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?' and the possessed man overpowers them all. News of this spreads fear throughout Ephesus, and the name of Jesus is magnified. Many believers confess their practices, and those who practiced sorcery publicly burn their books, worth fifty thousand pieces of silver. The word of the Lord grows mightily.
13 Some traveling Jewish men who performed exorcisms tried using the name of Jesus on people with evil spirits. They would say, "By the authority of the Jesus that Paul preaches, I command you to come out!" Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 But one time, the evil spirit talked back: "I know Jesus, and I know Paul. But who do you think you are?" And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16 The man with the evil spirit launched himself at all of them and overpowered every one of them. They ran out of the house with their clothes torn off and their bodies covered in wounds. And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 News of this spread to every Jew and Greek in Ephesus. A wave of fear swept over the whole city, and the name of the Lord Jesus gained tremendous respect. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18 Many people who had already believed came forward. They openly admitted the wrong things they had done. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
19 A large number of people who had practiced sorcery piled up their magic books and burned them in front of everyone. When they calculated the total value of the books, it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 The Lord's message was spreading like wildfire, growing more and more powerful. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
The Riot of the Silversmiths
Study note
Paul makes plans to travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem and eventually Rome. Meanwhile, Demetrius the silversmith, who profits from making shrines of the goddess Diana, incites his fellow craftsmen by warning that Paul's teaching threatens their livelihood and the honor of their goddess. The entire city erupts in chaos as crowds rush to the theater shouting 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians.' Paul wants to address the crowd, but his disciples and friendly officials prevent him. The town clerk finally calms the assembly by arguing that the Christians have committed no crime and that any legal complaints should be handled through proper courts.
21 After all this, Paul felt led by the Spirit to travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. "After I go there," he said, "I need to visit Rome too." After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
22 He sent two of his helpers, Timotheus and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia. He stayed in the province of Asia a bit longer. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
23 Right about that time, a great riot broke out in Ephesus over the Way. And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
24 A silversmith named Demetrius had built a big business making small silver shrines of the goddess Diana. This kept all the local craftsmen busy with work. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
25 Demetrius called a meeting of his workers and all the related tradesmen. "Men," he said, "you know that our livelihood depends on this business." Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
26 "But you can see and hear what this Paul is doing. He has convinced huge numbers of people, not here in Ephesus but practically everywhere in Asia, that handmade gods are not real gods at all." Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
27 "This could ruin our business and our good name. But even worse, the great temple of the goddess Diana could lose all her glory. She is the one that all of Asia and the whole world worship!" So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
28 This made the crowd furious. They started chanting, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29 The whole city fell into an uproar. The mob grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul's travel partners from Macedonia. They all rushed into the city's big theater. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
30 Paul wanted to go in and face the crowd, but the believers would not allow it. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
31 Even some high-ranking officials who were Paul's friends sent him a message. They warned him to stay away from the theater. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
32 Inside, the scene was total chaos. Some people yelled one thing, others yelled something completely different. Most of the crowd had no idea why they were even there. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
33 Some Jewish people pushed Alexander to the front and tried to get him to speak. Alexander waved his hands, trying to get the crowd's attention so he could explain things. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
34 But the crowd found out he was Jewish. They all began to shout the same thing for about two hours. "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
35 The city clerk finally calmed everyone down. He said, "People of Ephesus, everyone knows our city guards the temple of the great goddess Diana and her sacred image that fell from the sky! And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
36 Nobody can argue with these facts. So settle down and do not do anything you will regret. Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
37 You have dragged these men here, but they have not robbed any temple or spoken against our goddess. For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
38 If Demetrius and his workers have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and there are judges. Let them file proper charges. Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
39 If there is anything else to talk about, it must happen in an official meeting. But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
40 The way things stand, we could be charged with starting a riot today. There is no excuse we can give for this disorderly mess." For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
41 After saying this, he sent everyone home. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.