DEMONISM DEFEATED AT EPHESUS

11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, 12 so that even facecloths or apronsF that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.z

13 Now some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!”aa 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this. 15 The evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul—but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded. 17 When this became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, they became afraid, and the name of the Lord Jesusa was held in high esteem.b

18 And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, 19 while many of those who had practiced magicc collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread and prevailed.d