King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Many of those who had earlier made professions of faith now came and admitted publicly their evil deeds;
Berean Standard Bible:
Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
American Standard Version:
Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And{G5037} many{G4183} that believed{G4100} came{G2064}, and confessed{G1843}, and{G2532} shewed{G312} their{G846} deeds{G4234}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Romans 10:10
- For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Psalms 32:5
- I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Matthew 3:6
- And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
Ezekiel 36:31
- Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that [were] not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Leviticus 16:21
- And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send [him] away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
Leviticus 26:40
- ¶ If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
Ezekiel 16:63
- That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Acts 19:18
Acts 19:18 is a verse set within the larger narrative of the Apostle Paul's extended ministry in Ephesus, a significant city in the Roman province of Asia (modern-day Turkey). The verse reads, "And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds." This verse follows an episode where some itinerant Jewish exorcists, the sons of Sceva, attempted to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had evil spirits, which resulted in a dramatic failure and reinforced the unique authority of Jesus' name in the spiritual realm.
In the historical context of the early Christian church, Ephesus was a hub of pagan worship, especially known for the temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The city's culture was steeped in magic and superstition. In this environment, the Gospel's power to transform lives was particularly potent.
The themes present in Acts 19:18 include repentance, the importance of genuine faith, and the confrontation between the Gospel and pagan practices. The verse highlights the response of new believers who, upon recognizing the supremacy of Christ, openly acknowledged their former deeds, which likely included involvement in occult practices and pagan rituals. Their public confession and manifestation of a change in behavior would have been a significant rejection of the city's dominant spiritual ethos and an embrace of the Christian message of salvation and moral renewal.
This act of confession and renunciation of past deeds is indicative of the deep spiritual awakening that was taking place in Ephesus. It also serves as a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel, as individuals were moved to abandon their former ways of life and embrace the teachings of Jesus and His apostles. The verse underscores the early church's commitment to holiness and the radical life change that was expected of those who chose to follow Christ.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: G5037
There are 192 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: τέ
Transliteration: té
Pronunciation: teh
Description: a primary particle (enclitic) of connection or addition; both or also (properly, as correlation of καί):--also, and, both, even, then, whether. Often used in composition, usually as the latter participle. - Strong's Number: G4183
There are 331 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: πολύς
Transliteration: polýs
Pronunciation: pol-oos'
Description: including the forms from the alternate ; (singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many; neuter (singular) as adverbial, largely; neuter (plural) as adverb or noun often, mostly, largely:--abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft(-en (-times)), plenteous, sore, straitly. Compare πλεῖστος, πλείων. - Strong's Number: G4100
There are 220 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: πιστεύω
Transliteration: pisteúō
Pronunciation: pist-yoo'-o
Description: from πίστις; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ):--believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with. - Strong's Number: G2064
There are 604 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἔρχομαι
Transliteration: érchomai
Pronunciation: el'-tho
Description: middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred (middle voice) , or (active) , which do not otherwise occur); to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively):--accompany, appear, bring, come, enter, fall out, go, grow, X light, X next, pass, resort, be set. - Strong's Number: G1843
There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἐξομολογέω
Transliteration: exomologéō
Pronunciation: ex-om-ol-og-eh'-o
Description: from ἐκ and ὁμολογέω; to acknowledge or (by implication, of assent) agree fully:--confess, profess, promise. - Strong's Number: G2532
There are 5212 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: καί
Transliteration: kaí
Pronunciation: kahee
Description: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet. - Strong's Number: G312
There are 146 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἀναγγέλλω
Transliteration: anangéllō
Pronunciation: an-ang-el'-lo
Description: from ἀνά and the base of ἄγγελος; to announce (in detail):--declare, rehearse, report, show, speak, tell. - Strong's Number: G846
There are 3776 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: αὐτός
Transliteration: autós
Pronunciation: ow-tos'
Description: from the particle (perhaps akin to the base of ἀήρ through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative ἑαυτοῦ) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare αὑτοῦ. - Strong's Number: G4234
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: πρᾶξις
Transliteration: prâxis
Pronunciation: prax'-is
Description: from πράσσω; practice, i.e. (concretely) an act; by extension, a function:--deed, office, work.
