Acts 19

Listen to this chapter

Paul arrived in Ephesus and encountered disciples who had only received John's baptism; he re-baptized them in the name of Jesus, and they received the Holy Ghost with miraculous signs. His two-year ministry, marked by special miracles, led to a dramatic incident where Jewish exorcists were overcome by an evil spirit, causing many to renounce magic and burn their books, signifying the mighty growth of God's word. This spiritual transformation, however, provoked a riot by Demetrius and other silversmiths, who feared the loss of their trade and the diminishing worship of the goddess Diana. The city was filled with confusion until the townclerk skillfully appeased the multitude and dismissed the unlawful assembly.

Paul Encounters John's Disciples 1–7

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples:

and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given.

And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John’s baptism.

And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus.

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

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

And they were in all about twelve men.

Ministry in Ephesus and the Hall of Tyrannus 8–10

And he entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.

But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Miracles and the Sons of Sceva 11–20

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this.

And the evil spirit answered and said unto them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

And not a few of them that practised magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.

Paul Plans Future Missions 21–22

Now after these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

And having sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

The Riot of the Silversmiths 23–41

And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen;

whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth.

And ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands:

and not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana be made of no account, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And the city was filled with the confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

And certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to adventure himself into the theatre.

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defence unto the people.

But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And when the townclerk had quieted the multitude, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.

For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a matter against any man, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another.

But if ye seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.

For indeed we are in danger to be accused concerning this day’s riot, there being no cause for it: and as touching it we shall not be able to give account of this concourse.

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 19

Verse 1

the upper coasts — Anoterikos, the inland country, is found only here in the New Testament. Paul 'passed through' it to Ephesus, as he had promised in Acts 18:21, 'I will return again unto you, if God will'. Apollos, who had been at Ephesus (18:24), is now at Corinth, where some say 'I of Apollos' (1 Cor 1:12).

Verse 2

Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? — The question is put to men called 'disciples' (v.1). Peter's word at Pentecost gives the order: 'Repent, and be baptized… and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost' (Acts 2:38). John had said of Christ, 'he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire' (Matt 3:11).

Verse 3

Unto what then were ye baptized? — The question asks into what, eis ti, they were baptized; Matt 28:19 names it, 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost'. They answer 'Unto John's baptism', the one Apollos knew at Ephesus (Acts 18:25).

Verse 4

the baptism of repentance — Mark 1:4 gives John's baptism the same description, 'the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins', and Paul describes it so at Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:24). John pointed beyond himself, 'there cometh one after me' (Acts 13:25), and Paul names that one here as 'Christ Jesus'.

Verse 5

baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus — The same words stand of the Samaritans in Acts 8:16, and at Pentecost Peter calls for baptism 'in the name of Jesus Christ' (Acts 2:38). Paul's question to the Corinthians, 'were ye baptized in the name of Paul?' (1 Cor 1:13), shows what the name decides.

Verse 6

laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them — The Spirit given with the laying on of hands is told also in Acts 8:17. 'Spake with tongues' recalls Acts 2:4, and 'prophesied' joins it as in Joel's promise quoted in Acts 2:17, 'your sons and your daughters shall prophesy'.

Verse 8

spake boldly for the space of three months — 'Spake boldly' is parrhesiazomai, the verb used of Apollos in Acts 18:26, and 'disputing' is dialegomai, 'reasoned' in 18:19. The subject, 'the kingdom of God', is what Paul teaches at the end of Acts, in 28:31, 'Preaching the kingdom of God'.

Verse 9

the school of one Tyrannus — Schole is found only here in the New Testament. 'Hardened' is skleryno, the verb of Heb 3:8, 'Harden not your hearts'. 'Separated' is aphorizo, used of Barnabas and Saul in Acts 13:2 and of Paul himself in Rom 1:1. 'That way' is the name for the faith, as in Acts 9:2.

Verse 10

all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word — The three months of v.8 and the two years here, with the 'season' of v.22, fall within the 'three years' of Acts 20:31. Asia is the province the Spirit had earlier forbidden Paul to enter (Acts 16:6). The pair recurs in v.17 and in Acts 20:21, 'both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks'.

Verse 11

special miracles — 'Special' is ou tychousan, 'not the common', the phrase rendered 'no little' in Acts 28:2 ('no little kindness'). 'Miracles' is dynameis, works of power. God is the one who 'wrought', 'by the hands of Paul', as 'by the hands of the apostles' signs and wonders were wrought in Acts 5:12.

Verse 12

handkerchiefs or aprons — Soudarion is the 'napkin' of Luke 19:20 and John 11:44; simikinthion, 'aprons', is found only here. The cloths work as the border of Christ's garment did for the woman in Luke 8:44. Verse 11 gives the source: the miracles are what 'God wrought'.

Verse 13

vagabond Jews, exorcists — 'Vagabond' is perierchomai, to go about, the verb of the women 'wandering about from house to house' in 1 Tim 5:13. 'Exorcists' (exorkistes) is found only here. 'We adjure you' is horkizo, the verb of Mark 5:7. They invoke 'Jesus whom Paul preacheth', the name taken from Paul's preaching.

Verse 14

seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests — 'Chief of the priests' is archiereus, the word for the high priests of Jerusalem, as in Acts 4:6, 'Annas the high priest'. Sceva is named only here. The sons 'did so', that is, attempted what v.13 describes.

Verse 15

Jesus I know, and Paul I know — Two different verbs: 'Jesus I know' is ginosko, 'Paul I know' is epistamai, to be acquainted with, the verb of 'knowing only the baptism of John' in Acts 18:25. The spirit's knowledge of Jesus matches 'I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God' (Luke 4:34).

Verse 18

many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds — 'Confessed' is exomologeo, to acknowledge openly, the verb of those baptized by John, 'confessing their sins' (Matt 3:6). 'Deeds' is praxis, practices, the word of Rom 8:13, 'the deeds of the body'. Ps 32:5 has the same movement: 'I acknowledged my sin unto thee'.

Verse 19

curious arts — Perierga, overbusy things, is found only here and in 1 Tim 5:13, where it is 'busybodies'. The law named such practices: 'an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch' (Deut 18:10). The burning of the books matches Deut 7:25, 'The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire'.

Verse 21

Paul purposed in the spirit — The phrase stands with 'pressed in the spirit' (Acts 18:5) and 'bound in the spirit' (20:22). 'Must' is dei, and the Lord confirms it in 23:11, 'so must thou bear witness also at Rome'. 'Passed through' (dierchomai) is the verb of v.1.

Verse 23

no small stir about that way — 'Stir' is tarachos, found elsewhere only in Acts 12:18, 'no small stir among the soldiers'. 'No small' recurs in v.24, 'no small gain'. 'That way' is the name for the faith that appears in v.9 and again in Acts 24:22. Paul speaks of 'our trouble which came to us in Asia' in 2 Cor 1:8.

Verse 24

Demetrius, a silversmith — Argyropoios, found only here. 'Gain' is ergasia, the word of Acts 16:16 and 16:19, where the owners of the girl with the spirit of divination lose 'the hope of their gains'. 'Shrines' (naos) is the word usually rendered 'temple'.

Verse 28

Great is Diana of the Ephesians — The cry is repeated in v.34. 'Diana' is the Latin name for the goddess the Greek calls Artemis. The silver shrines of v.24 are what Ps 115:4 calls 'the work of men's hands', and Ps 48:1 gives the other cry, 'Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised'.

Verse 29

Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia — Aristarchus is 'of the Thessalonians' in Acts 20:4, sails with Paul in 27:2 and is called 'my fellowprisoner' in Col 4:10. 'Companions in travel' (synekdemos) is found only here and in 2 Cor 8:19. 'Theatre' (theatron) is the word behind 'spectacle' in 1 Cor 4:9.

Verse 31

the chief of Asia — Asiarches is found only here. They are called 'friends' (philos) of Paul. The disciples had already 'suffered him not' when he 'would have entered in unto the people' (v.30), and the request of these officials is the same, that he not give himself to the theatre.

Verse 33

Alexander… the Jews putting him forward — An Alexander is named with Hymenaeus in 1 Tim 1:20 and as 'the coppersmith' in 2 Tim 4:14; the text does not say whether any of them is this man. 'Beckoned' (kataseio) is used of Peter (Acts 12:17) and Paul (13:16; 21:40), and 'made his defence' is apologeomai, the verb of Acts 25:8, 'he answered for himself'.

Verse 35

the townclerk — Grammateus, the word elsewhere rendered 'scribe'. 'Worshipper' (neokoros), literally a temple-keeper, and 'the image which fell down from Jupiter' (diopetes) are each found only here. He answers the cry of v.28, calling her 'the great goddess Diana'.

Verse 37

robbers of churches — Hierosylos, a temple-robber, is found only here; its verb is in Rom 2:22, 'dost thou commit sacrilege?', so 'churches' here means temples. 'Blasphemers' is blasphemeo. Paul's own plea at Caesarea is in the same terms: 'Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar' (Acts 25:8).

Verse 40

in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar — 'Uproar' is stasis, a riot or sedition, the word of Acts 24:5. 'Concourse' (systrophe) is found only here and in Acts 23:12, of the Jews who 'banded together' against Paul. 'Give an account' translates apodidomi logon, the idiom of Luke 16:2, 'give an account of thy stewardship'.

Acts 19

Paul Encounters John's Disciples 1–7

Ministry in Ephesus and the Hall of Tyrannus 8–10

Miracles and the Sons of Sceva 11–20

Paul Plans Future Missions 21–22

The Riot of the Silversmiths 23–41

Reading style

Typeface

Font size 19 px

Reading width 75 chars