Acts19

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.

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Paul Encounters John's Disciples

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

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

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

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

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.

Study Notes for Acts 19

Verse 1

Paul begins his extensive three-year ministry in Ephesus, the capital city of the Roman province of Asia. Apollos had recently passed through, having preached a message centered on John's baptism (Acts 18:24-28).

Verse 2

The question reveals a deficiency in their faith knowledge. They were 'disciples' (believers) but lacked the full understanding of Christian pneumatology (the doctrine of the Holy Spirit) and had not experienced Pentecost.

Verse 3

John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, preparing the way for Christ, but it did not confer the Holy Spirit or mark full identification with the resurrected Christ.

Verse 4

Paul clarifies the transitional nature of John's ministry, emphasizing that its goal was always to point the people toward faith in Jesus Christ, the one who was to come.

Verse 5

Re-baptism: Luke emphasizes that baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus is essential for those who had only received John’s preparatory rite, signifying complete submission to Christ’s authority.

Verse 6

The laying on of hands often accompanied the bestowal of the Spirit in Acts, linking the new believers directly to the apostolic authority and confirming the transition from preparatory faith to full Christian experience.

Verse 8

As was his custom, Paul began his evangelistic efforts in the Jewish synagogue, focusing on persuading his hearers about the 'kingdom of God.'

Verse 9

The 'school of one Tyrannus' was likely a rented lecture hall or philosophical school. This move allowed Paul to conduct daily public ministry for a sustained period outside the constraints of the synagogue.

Verse 10

This long, strategic stay in Ephesus (a major hub city) ensured that the Gospel reached the entire Roman province of Asia (western Anatolia), often cited as the foundation for the seven churches of Revelation.

Verse 11

Luke highlights that God gave Paul 'special miracles,' perhaps distinguishing his ministry from the common magic and superstition prevalent in Ephesus, a city known for its occult practices.

Verse 12

This practice of transferring power via objects (contact relics) is unique in Paul's ministry, demonstrating God's condescension to the cultural understanding of power common in that region.

Verse 13

These were traveling practitioners attempting to use Jesus' name as a magical formula, not as an act of faith or submission. They viewed Christ's name merely as a powerful incantation.

Verse 14

The title 'chief of the priests' might indicate Sceva belonged to a high-ranking priestly family, lending them cultural authority, though they were not functioning priests in Jerusalem.

Verse 15

The demonic recognition of Jesus and Paul, contrasted with the ignorance of the exorcists, powerfully affirms Christ's supremacy and the authenticity of Paul's apostleship.

Verse 18

The fear of God resulting from this event led to true repentance, involving public disclosure and renunciation of sinful practices, which is the necessary fruit of genuine conversion.

Verse 19

'Curious arts' refers to magic, divination, and sorcery, for which Ephesus was famous. The burning of these expensive books demonstrated the cost and sincerity of their conversion and rejection of their former lives.

Verse 21

This plan outlines Paul's strategy for his third missionary journey, culminating in a visit to the imperial capital, Rome, a goal he later achieved (Acts 28:14).

Verse 23

'That way' was a common early designation for Christianity, emphasizing that it was a path of life and conduct, not merely a set of doctrines.

Verse 24

The opposition led by Demetrius was primarily economic. The Gospel challenged not only religious beliefs but also established commercial systems dependent on idolatry.

Verse 28

Artemis (Diana in Latin) was the patron goddess of Ephesus; her temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, making the threat to her worship a major public security concern.

Verse 29

The massive Ephesian theater could hold about 25,000 people and was the location for major public assemblies and dramas. Rushing into the theater was a typical method for starting a public demonstration.

Verse 31

The 'chief of Asia' (Asiarchs) were wealthy provincial officials responsible for organizing local festivals and maintaining loyalty to Rome. Their friendship with Paul indicates Christianity had gained adherents among the local elite.

Verse 33

The Jews attempted to distance themselves from Paul and the Christian movement, fearing they would be swept up in the general Roman repression against those causing the uproar.

Verse 35

The townclerk (*grammateus*) was the most important local administrator, responsible for city records and legal order. His intervention was critical in defusing the mob and appealing to Roman legality.

Verse 37

The townclerk defends Paul's companions by noting they had not committed sacrilege against the temple or publicly blasphemed the goddess, focusing on Roman law rather than theological disputes.

Verse 40

The clerk skillfully defuses the situation by reminding the crowd that unlawful assembly could lead to severe penalties from the Roman government, placing the blame for the unrest squarely on the rioters.

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Acts19

Paul Encounters John's Disciples

Ministry in Ephesus and the Hall of Tyrannus

Miracles and the Sons of Sceva

Paul Plans Future Missions

The Riot of the Silversmiths

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