¹Now it came to pass, while Apollos was in Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper parts, came down to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

²He said also to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit, having believed?" And they said to him, "But we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

³Then he said to them, "Into what then were you immersed?" And they said, "Into John's immersion."

⁴Then Paul said, "John indeed immersed an immersion of change of heart, telling the people about the One coming after him, that they may trust — that is, in Jesus the Anointed One."

⁵Then when they had heard, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Jesus;

⁶and when Paul laid the hands on them, the Holy Spirit came, and they were speaking in tongues and were prophesying.

⁷Then there were in all about twelve men.

⁸Then when he had entered into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.

⁹However, when some were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and took the disciples separately, reasoning every day in the lecture hall of a certain Tyrannus.

¹⁰Then this continued for two years, so that all those inhabiting Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

¹¹Then God was doing miracles, not the ordinary, through the hands of Paul,

¹²so that even to the ailing were carried cloth from his skin or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits also coming out from them.

¹³Now some also of the itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who have the evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims."

¹⁴Now there were seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, who were doing this.

¹⁵However, answering, the evil spirit said to them, "Jesus indeed I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; however you yourselves, who are you?"

¹⁶And the man in whom was the evil spirit, having leapt upon them, and when he had overpowered them all, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they were fleeing out of that house.

¹⁷Now this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who inhabited Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,

¹⁸then many of those who had trusted were coming, confessing and declaring their deeds.

¹⁹Now many of those who had practiced the magic arts, having brought together the books, were burning them before all; and they counted up their prices and found it five myriads of silverlings.

²⁰Thus with the might of the Lord the word was continuing to increase and was prevailing.

²¹Now after these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, having said that after I have been there, it behooves me also to see Rome.

²²Then having sent into Macedonia two of those ministering to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself remained for a time in Asia.

²³Now there arose at the same appointed-time a disturbance, not small, concerning the Way.

²⁴For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith making silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen,

²⁵whom, when he had brought together with the workmen in such things, he said, "Men, you know that from this business is our wealth,

²⁶and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but almost in all of Asia, this Paul, when he had persuaded them, has turned away a great many people, saying that they are not gods which are made through hands.

²⁷But not only is this endangered to us, that the business come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be reckoned as no thing, and also her majesty be deposed, whom all Asia and the world worship."

²⁸Then when they had heard, and having become full of rage, they were crying out, saying, "Great is the Artemis of the Ephesians."

²⁹And all the city was filled with confusion; and they rushed with one accord to the theatre, having dragged off Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, fellow travelers of Paul.

³⁰However, when Paul was intending to go in to the people, the disciples were not allowing him;

³¹then some also of the Asiarchs, being friends to him, when they had sent to him, were urging him not to venture himself into the theatre.

³²Therefore others indeed were crying out some thing; for the assembly was confused, and the most did not know for what cause they had assembled.

³³Now out of the crowd they brought forward Alexander, when the Jews were thrusting him forward; and Alexander, having motioned with the hand, was wanting to present a defense to the people.

³⁴However, when they had recognized that he is a Jew, there was one cry from all, ongoing about two hours, crying out, "Great is the Artemis of the Ephesians."

³⁵Then when the town clerk had calmed the crowd, he says, "Men of Ephesus, for who is there of men who does not know the city of the Ephesians as being temple-keeper of the great goddess Artemis and of that fallen from the sky?

³⁶Therefore, these things being undeniable, it is necessary for you to be quietened and to do nothing rash.

³⁷For you brought these men, neither temple plunderers nor blaspheming our goddess.

³⁸Therefore if indeed Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a matter against anyone, courts are conducted and there are proconsuls; they should accuse one another.

³⁹However, if you inquire anything beyond this, it will be solved in the lawful assembly.

⁴⁰And for we are in danger of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being not one cause concerning which we will not be able to render a reason for this commotion.

⁴¹And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.