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19
Back to Ephesus
1 Now it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus.
Disciples of John
And finding certain disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “But we have not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit!” 3 So he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John's baptism.”*Perhaps they were the result of some of Apollos' early ministry. Paul evidently sensed that there was something lacking in them. 4 So Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe into the One who would come after him, that is, into Jesus, the Christ.”†Perhaps 4% of the Greek manuscripts omit ‘the Christ’ (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). 5 So upon hearing this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And as Paul laid his hands on them the Holy Spirit came upon them,‡This was an important confirmation that Paul's clarification was correct. and they started speaking languages and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
The school of Tyrannus becomes the base
8 During three months Paul kept going to the synagogue and speaking boldly, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the Kingdom of God. 9 But when some became hardened and disobedient, maligning the Way before the crowd, he withdrew from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of a certain Tyrannus.§Paul had already done this sort of thing in Corinth; it was a good strategy. 10 Now this continued for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the Word of the Lord Jesus.*Perhaps 13% of the Greek manuscripts omit ‘Jesus’ (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).
11 Further, God kept working unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that he touched were applied to the sick, and the diseases left them and the wicked spirits went out from them.†This sort of thing is definitely ‘news’, and it would spread far and wide.
Some fake exorcists
13 Well some among the itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits saying, “We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 In fact there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who were doing this. 15 But a particular wicked spirit reacted and said, “Jesus I know, and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom the wicked spirit was jumped on them and overpowered them; he was so much stronger that they ran out of that house naked and wounded. 17 Now this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being exalted.
18 And many of those who had believed started coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19 In fact, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them up, in front of everybody‡When people start doing this, you know their faith is real, and to do it in public would really have an impact on the populace (that was a lot of money!). (they had calculated their value and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver). 20 With power like that it was that the word of the Lord kept growing and prevailing.
21 Now after these things were accomplished, Paul resolved in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”§His apostolic spirit wanted not only Rome, but Spain (Romans 15:28). 22 So he sent two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, on to Macedonia, while he himself stayed on in Asia for a time.
Demetrius
23 Now it was during that time that a serious disturbance concerning the Way occurred. 24 A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, habitually brought in plenty of business for the artisans; 25 he called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know that our prosperity depends on this trade. 26 And you observe and hear that not only in Ephesus but throughout almost all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that handmade things are not gods. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute,*The crucial point was the threat to their finances, not that to Diana's reputation! but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be discredited, and even her own majesty be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”
28 Now upon hearing this they were filled with anger and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed into the theater with one accord (they had seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's traveling companions). 30 When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of Asia, being his friends, sent word to him and urged him not to venture into the theater.†After two years of fruitful ministry, some of the city officials would have converted, or at least appreciate the healing and deliverance he had brought. 32 The assembly was in confusion: some were shouting one thing and some another; most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Then the Jews pushed Alexander forward,‡I wonder whether those Jews were friends or foes, and what they hoped to achieve. out from the crowd. So Alexander motioned with his hand and would have made a defense to the people. 34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours,§How could their voices last for two hours? And what animated them to keep on going for so long? I suspect there was a little demonic participation. “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 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 Artemis and of what fell from Zeus?*They had an image that reputedly had fallen intact from the sky. 36 Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. 37 You have arrested these men who are neither temple thieves nor blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Now if Demetrius and his fellow artisans have a complaint against anyone, courts are available, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you want to debate any other matter, it will be settled in the legal assembly. 40 Indeed, we are in danger of being charged with a riot, because of today, there being no reason at all that we can give to account for this commotion.” 41 And having said these things he dismissed the assembly.

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*19:3 Perhaps they were the result of some of Apollos' early ministry. Paul evidently sensed that there was something lacking in them.

†19:4 Perhaps 4% of the Greek manuscripts omit ‘the Christ’ (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

‡19:6 This was an important confirmation that Paul's clarification was correct.

§19:9 Paul had already done this sort of thing in Corinth; it was a good strategy.

*19:10 Perhaps 13% of the Greek manuscripts omit ‘Jesus’ (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

†19:12 This sort of thing is definitely ‘news’, and it would spread far and wide.

‡19:19 When people start doing this, you know their faith is real, and to do it in public would really have an impact on the populace (that was a lot of money!).

§19:21 His apostolic spirit wanted not only Rome, but Spain (Romans 15:28).

*19:27 The crucial point was the threat to their finances, not that to Diana's reputation!

†19:31 After two years of fruitful ministry, some of the city officials would have converted, or at least appreciate the healing and deliverance he had brought.

‡19:33 I wonder whether those Jews were friends or foes, and what they hoped to achieve.

§19:34 How could their voices last for two hours? And what animated them to keep on going for so long? I suspect there was a little demonic participation.

*19:35 They had an image that reputedly had fallen intact from the sky.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD