The Koine Bible

It happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions to come to Ephesus and found some disciples,

He said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? And they said to him, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

And he said, Why then were you baptized? And they said, Into John's baptism.

But Paul said, John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.

And when they heard, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

And all the men were about twelve.

And having entered the synagogue, he spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.

But when some became stubborn and disobeyed, speaking evil of the way before the crowd, he withdrew from them and separated the disciples, daily reasoning in the school of Tyrannus.

This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

God was performing extraordinary powers through the hands of Paul, not those commonly occurring.

So that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his skin to the sick, and their diseases were removed, and the evil spirits came out.

Some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, I command you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims.

Now there were seven sons of a certain Jewish high priest named Sceva who were doing this.

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

And the man, falling on them in whom the evil spirit was, having seized control of both, was stronger than them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

And many of those who had believed were coming, confessing and declaring their deeds.

And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in front of everyone; and the value of them was counted up and it was found to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Thus the word of the Lord grew and became strong with power.

When these things were completed, Paul, having been compelled by the Spirit, decided to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying that after I have been there, it is necessary for me also to see Rome.

And having sent into Macedonia two of those serving with him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed for a time in Asia.

At that time there arose a considerable disturbance concerning the Way.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver temples of Artemis, was providing the craftsmen with no small work,

Having gathered those who worked in such things, he said, Men, you know that from this trade we have our wealth,

And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable crowd, saying that gods made by hands are not gods.

Not only does our trade risk being discredited, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be considered nothing, and her majesty, which all Asia and the world worship, may be destroyed.

And when they heard and became full of anger, they shouted, saying, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

And the city was filled with confusion, and they all rushed together into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, companions of Paul on his travels.

But when Paul wanted to enter the assembly, his disciples did not allow him.

But some of the Asiarchs, being friends of his, having sent to him, were begging him not to deliver himself to the theater.

Some were shouting one thing, and others another, for the assembly was confused, and most did not know why they had gathered.

But from the crowd they pushed forward Alexander when the Jews presented him, and Alexander, shaking his hand, wanted to make a defense to the people.

When they realized that he was a Jew, a single voice came from all of them, shouting for about two hours, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

Then the secretary quieted the crowd and said, Men of Ephesus, for who is there among people who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the great Artemis and of the image that fell from Zeus?

Therefore, since these things are indisputable, it is necessary for you to be quiet and to do nothing reckless.

For you have brought these men, neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our God.

If then Demetrius and those with him, who are craftsmen, have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.

But if you seek anything further, it will be resolved in the lawful assembly.

For we are in danger of being accused of causing an uprising about something that today has no cause, concerning which we will not be able to give an account regarding this gathering. And having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.