Acts 18–19

Chapter 18

¹And after these things, having left Athens, he came to Corinth; ²and finding a certain Jew by name Aquila, of Pontus by race, just come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife, (because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome,) came to them, ³and because they were of the same trade abode with them, and wrought. For they were tent-makers by trade. ⁴And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks. ⁵And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in respect of the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ⁶But as they opposed and spoke injuriously, he shook his clothes, and said to them, Your blood be upon your own head: I am pure; from henceforth I will go to the nations.

⁷And departing thence he came to the house of a certain man, by name Justus, who worshipped God, whose house adjoined the synagogue. ⁸But Crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptised. ⁹And the Lord said by vision in the night to Paul, Fear not, but speak and be not silent; ¹⁰because I am with thee, and no one shall set upon thee to injure thee; because I have much people in this city. ¹¹And he remained there a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God.

¹²But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one consent rose against Paul and led him to the judgment-seat, ¹³saying, This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law. ¹⁴But as Paul was going to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, If indeed it was some wrong or wicked criminality, O Jews, of reason I should have borne with you; ¹⁵but if it be questions about words, and names, and the law that ye have, see to it yourselves; for I do not intend to be judge of these things. ¹⁶And he drove them from the judgment-seat. ¹⁷And having all laid hold on Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, they beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio troubled himself about none of these things.

¹⁸And Paul, having yet stayed there many days, took leave of the brethren and sailed thence to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow; ¹⁹and he arrived at Ephesus, and left them there. But entering himself into the synagogue he reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰And when they asked him that he would remain for a longer time with them he did not accede, ²¹but bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep the coming feast at Jerusalem; I will return to you again, if God will: and he sailed away from Ephesus. ²²And landing at Caesarea, and having gone up and saluted the assembly, he went down to Antioch. ²³And having stayed there some time, he went forth, passing in order through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing all the disciples.

²⁴But a certain Jew, Apollos by name, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, who was mighty in the scriptures, arrived at Ephesus. ²⁵He was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in his spirit, he spoke and taught exactly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John. ²⁶And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to them and unfolded to him the way of God more exactly. ²⁷And when he purposed to go into Achaia, the brethren wrote to the disciples engaging them to receive him, who, being come, contributed much to those who believed through grace. ²⁸For he with great force convinced the Jews publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Chapter 19

¹And it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples, ²he said to them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye had believed? And they said to him, We did not even hear if the Holy Spirit was come. ³And he said, To what then were ye baptised? And they said, To the baptism of John. ⁴And Paul said, John indeed baptised with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him that was coming after him, that is, on Jesus. ⁵And when they heard that, they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶And Paul having laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. ⁷And all the men were about twelve.

⁸And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. ⁹But when some were hardened and disbelieved, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, he left them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. ¹⁰And this took place for two years, so that all that inhabited Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. ¹¹And God wrought no ordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹²so that even napkins or aprons were brought from his body and put upon the sick, and the diseases left them, and the wicked spirits went out.

¹³And certain of the Jewish exorcists also, who went about, took in hand to call upon those who had wicked spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches. ¹⁴And there were certain men, seven sons of Sceva, Jewish high priest, who were doing this. ¹⁵But the wicked spirit answering said to them, Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; but ye, who are ye? ¹⁶And the man in whom the wicked spirit was leaped upon them, and having mastered both, prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. ¹⁷And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who inhabited Ephesus, and fear fell upon all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. ¹⁸And many of those that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds. ¹⁹And many of those that practised curious arts brought their books of charms and burnt them before all. And they reckoned up the prices of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰Thus with might the word of the Lord increased and prevailed.

²¹And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, After I have been there I must see Rome also. ²²And having sent into Macedonia two of those ministering to him, Timotheus and Erastus, he remained himself awhile in Asia. ²³And there took place at that time no small disturbance about the way. ²⁴For a certain man by name Demetrius, a silver-beater, making silver temples of Artemis, brought no small gain to the artisans; ²⁵whom having brought together, and those who wrought in such things, he said, Men, ye know that our well-living arises from this work, ²⁶and ye see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great crowd, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands. ²⁷Now not only there is danger for us that our business come into discredit, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be counted for nothing, and that her greatness should be destroyed whom the whole of Asia and the world reveres. ²⁸And having heard this, and being filled with rage, they cried out, saying, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. ²⁹And the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, having seized and carried off with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow-travellers of Paul. ³⁰But Paul intending to go in to the people, the disciples suffered him not; ³¹and some of the Asiarchs also, who were his friends, sent to him and urged him not to throw himself into the theatre. ³²Different persons therefore cried out some different thing; for the assembly was tumultuous, and the most did not know for what cause they had come together. ³³But from among the crowd they put forward Alexander, the Jews pushing him forward. And Alexander, beckoning with his hand, would have made a defence to the people. ³⁴But, recognising that he was a Jew, there was one cry from all, shouting for about two hours, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. ³⁵And the townclerk, having quieted the crowd, said, Ephesians, what man is there then who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of Artemis the great, and of the image which fell down from heaven? ³⁶These things therefore being undeniable, it is necessary that ye should be calm and do nothing headlong. ³⁷For ye have brought these men, who are neither temple-plunderers, nor speak injuriously of your goddess. ³⁸If therefore Demetrius and the artisans who are with him have a matter against any one, the courts are being held, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another. ³⁹But if ye inquire anything concerning other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly. ⁴⁰For also we are in danger to be put in accusation for sedition for this affair of to-day, no cause existing in reference to which we shall be able to give a reason for this concourse. ⁴¹And having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.