THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Acts ~ Chapter 19
And it happened while Apollos was in Corinth
that Paul (Saul), having passed through the interior districts, came down to
Ephesus, where he met some disciples. He asked them, “When you became
Believers, did you receive the Ruach Ha’Kodesh?” ‘No’, they answered, ‘we have
not even heard that there is a Ruach Ha’Kodesh. “What baptism did you receive?”
he asked them. ‘John’s baptism,’ they answered. Then Paul said, “Yes, John
baptized with a baptism of repentance, but he told the people also to believe
in Him, Who was to come after Him – that is, Yeshua, the Mashiach.”
When they heard this, they were baptized in
the Name of Adonai Yeshua. And when Paul laid hands on them, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh
came down on them and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were in
all about 12 of them.
He went into the synagogue and for 3 months
he spoke freely, reasoning with them and trying to convince them in matters
concerning the kingdom of Elohei. But since some had hardened themselves and
would not believe, besides speaking abusively of the Way of Adonai before the
people, he left them, keeping his disciples apart, and taught every day in the
school of Tyrannus. This he continued for 2 years, so that all who lived in the
province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the Word of Adonai Yeshua.
Elohei also worked remarkable miracles by the
hands of Paul. Thus when handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were
brought to the sick, the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of
them.
Then some traveling Jewish exorcists (who
practiced casting out evil spirits) tried to use the Name of Adonai Yeshua over
those who were demon-possessed by saying, ‘I command you by Yeshua, Whom Paul
preaches”. There was a Jewish high priest named Skeva who had 7 sons who were
trying to do this. The evil spirit answering said, ‘I know Yeshua, and am acquainted
with Paul, but who are you?’ Then the demon-possessed man jumped at them, got
the better of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled from the house
naked and wounded. This became known to all the residents of Ephesus, bot Jew
and Greek. In consequence, fear fell upon all and the Name of Adonai Yeshua was
held in high honor. Many Believers came forward to confess their evil deeds and
give an accounting of them. And also many who practiced the magic arts
collected their books and burned them in public. When they estimated their
value they found that they came to about $85,000.
Thus the Word of Adonai Yeshua increased mightily
and prevailed. After these events, Paul resolved in the Ruach to go to
Jerusalem again by way of Macedonia and Greece, adding, “And after I have been
there, I must also see Rome.” So he sent 2 of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus,
to Macedonia, while he stayed on in the province of Asia a while longer.
At this time a great riot arose in regard to
the new Way of life. A man by the name of Demetrious, a silver-smith, had a
business of making silver shrines of Artemis (Diana), a business that brought a
good profit to the work men. He called his workmen together, and also others in
the same trade, and said, ‘Men, you know that it is from this business that we
gain our wealth. But now you see and hear that this man Paul has turned away a
great many people, not only here at Ephesus but in almost the whole of the
province of Asia, by his preaching that the things that are made by the hands
of men are not gods at all. There is a real danger, therefore, not only that
our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess
Artemis (Diana) will count for nothing. And so she whom all Asia and the whole
world worship will have all her grandeur destroyed.’ The men became furious
when they heard this, and shouted, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ The
whole city was filled with the uproar. They seized Gaius and Aristarchus, 2 of
Paul’s fellow travelers from Macedonia, and in a mob rush took them to the
theatre. It was Paul’s intention to press the crowd, but his disciples would
not hear of it. Some of the town officials, too, being on friendly footing with
him, sent word to him requesting him not to venture into the theatre.
Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the meeting was
in confusion and most of them had no idea as to why they had come together.
The Jews then pushed Alexander to the front,
and someone in the crowd asked him to speak. But as soon as he was recognized a
Jew, they all cried out with one voice, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’
But the city clerk (Alexander) managed to quiet the mob and made a speech: ‘Men
of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of Ephesus is the
temple-keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of her image that fell down
from the sky? Since these facts cannot be contradicted, you must be calm and do
nothing rash. You have now brought here these men. They are not guilty of robbing
temples or defaming your goddess. Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen can take
legal action if they have any charge to bring against them, for we do have
courts and judges; let them go to law. And if you want some other matter
cleared up, it should be settled in the regular assembly. We are really in
danger of being accused of rioting today and we cannot give any justifiable
reason whatsoever for having put on this demonstration.’ With these words he
dismissed the crowd.
