| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples | 1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. |
| 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” | 2“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” |
| 3“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied. | 3“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” |
| 4Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” | 4Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” |
| 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. | 5As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. |
| 6And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. | 6Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. |
| 7There were about twelve men in all. | 7There were about twelve men in all. Paul Ministers in Ephesus |
| 8Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. | 8Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. |
| 9But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. | 9But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. |
| 10This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. | 10This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord. |
| 11God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, | 11God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. |
| 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them. | 12When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. |
| 13Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.” | 13A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” |
| 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. | 14Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. |
| 15Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” | 15But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” |
| 16Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded. | 16Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered. |
| 17This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. | 17The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. |
| 18Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds. | 18Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. |
| 19And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. | 19A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. |
| 20So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail. | 20So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect. |
| 21After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.” | 21Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” |
| 22He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia. | 22He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia. The Riot in Ephesus |
| 23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. | 23About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. |
| 24It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen. | 24It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. |
| 25Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity. | 25He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows: “Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. |
| 26And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. | 26But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! |
| 27There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.” | 27Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!” |
| 28When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” | 28At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” |
| 29Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. | 29Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. |
| 30Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him. | 30Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. |
| 31Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre. | 31Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater. |
| 32Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there. | 32Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. |
| 33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people. | 33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. |
| 34But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” | 34But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” |
| 35Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? | 35At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. |
| 36Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash. | 36Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. |
| 37For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess. | 37You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess. |
| 38So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there. | 38“If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. |
| 39But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly. | 39And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. |
| 40For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.” | 40I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” |
| 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. | 41 Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed. |
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