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The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 19:1–41 Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit 19:1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples there Apollos had left Ephesus to go to Corinth while he was away Paul came and found that there were some believers in the city. 19:2 and said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." On becoming acquainted with them he asked if they had received the Holy Spirit since they had believed. They replied that they had not even heard if there was a Holy Spirit The promise of the Holy Spirit is promised to all who believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour (Acts 2:38–39). 19:3 So Paul said, "Into what then were you baptized?" "Into John's baptism," they replied. Paul then asked them what kind of baptism they had received and they confirmed that they were baptised after the manner of John the Baptist’s. These people may have been earlier converts of Apollos before he met with Priscilla and Aquila who had instructed him in the fullness of the Gospel message. 19:4–5 Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, He points out to them that John’s was a baptism of repentance preparing the way for the coming of the One that would come after him, Jesus Christ the Saviour (Acts 1:5). When they heard this truth they were all baptized in the name of the Lord. Unfortunately, the omission here of the Father and the Holy Spirit led many UK Christians in the 1970’s–80’s to be baptized again because they were erroneously told that they needed to be baptized in the name of Jesus only; they were known as the
“Jesus only people”. I am sure that when he baptized these believers in water that he did so as Jesus had instructed (Matthew 18:19). 19:6–7 and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy (Now there were about twelve men in all.) Whether it was when he laid hands upon them or while he was baptizing them or just afterwards is not fully clear, but what is clear is that they were baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues and prophesy. There were twelve men in all. Many Christians testify to having received the Holy Spirit as they have been immersed in water at their baptism, but this is not the only occasion when God pours out his Spirit (see Acts 2). 19:8 So Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of God. After this Paul went into the synagogue and preached boldly for three months discussing and trying to persuade them concerning the kingdom of God. 19:9 But when some were stubborn and refused to believe, reviling the Way before the congregation, he left them and took the disciples with him, addressing them every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. Some of them hardened their hearts and became determinedly stubborn and refused to be believe, speaking evil things about God’s Way of Salvation before the congregation. Paul left the synagogue with the disciples and went with them every day to the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. Paul stayed in Ephesus for two years teaching and preaching so that all the inhabitants of the province of Asia, Jews as well Gentiles, heard the message of Salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jewish Exorcist Discredited 19:11 - 12 God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul's hands, so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. During this time at Ephesus God had given Paul the power to do remarkable miracles so much so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had been in contact with his body were laid on the sick and they were healed of their diseases and evil spirits went out of them who were possessed. 19:13 - 14 But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, "I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." (Now seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) Some Jews who travelled about as exorcists came into the area and tried to cast out demons from those who were possessed in the name of the Lord Jesus. These were seven sons of a Jewish high
priest named Sceva. They tried to do this by ordering them to come out in the name of Jesus whom Paul preached. It is quite clear by the terms they used that they were not believers. 19:15 But the evil spirit replied to them, "I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?" When they did this the evil spirit said to them that they knew the power of Jesus to cast out demons and Paul to whom power had been given do so but they didn’t know who these sons of Sceva were. 19:16 Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. The man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them up so that they ran from the house naked and bruised. 19:17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. This incident was made known to all those who lived in Ephesus both Jews and Gentiles and a fear came upon them and the Lord Jesus Christ was greatly praised. 19:18–19 Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. Large numbers of those who had priced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. There were a large number of believers who had practiced magic arts who owned very expensive magic books that amount to a total of fifty thousand silver coins. It is not known what coinage this was but if it was the Jewish shekel it would have been about £6280.00. They came and confessed and repented of these things and burned them at a public bonfire. 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail. In this powerful way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to spread.
The Silversmith’s Riot in Ephesus 19:21 - 22 Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. After these things Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem by way of Macedonia and Achaia then afterwards to go to Rome. He sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia and he remained in the province of Asia a little while longer. 19:23–24 At that time a great disturbance took place concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen.
At this time a silversmith named Demetrius who moulded shrines of Artemis (Diana) and made a great deal of money from it made a serious disturbance in Ephesus against the Way. 19:25–26 He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business. And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. He called together his fellow tradesmen to make the declaration that their business was being threatened by Paul who had turned a great number away from worshipping the goddess Artemis (Diana) to Jesus Christ and proclaiming that gods made by hands were not gods at all. This was happening not only in Ephesus but throughout the whole province. 19:27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness." He further said that not only was their businesses being brought into disrepute but that the very temple of the goddess will lose its hold upon the people and they will not show any reverence to her. 19:28 When they heard this they became enraged and began to shout, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" When they heard this they became as enraged as Demetrius and started screaming out “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians”. 19:29 The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions. They incited the whole city into an uproar and caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s travelling companions and dragged them to the amphitheatre. 19:30–31 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, the disciples would not let him. Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater. Paul wanted to enter the public assembly to defend these brethren but the disciples and some of the provincial officers who were his friends begged him not to. 19:32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. The whole assembly was in confusion for some were shouting one thing and some another and the majority of them didn’t even know why they were there. 19:33–34 Some of the crowd concluded it was about Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. Alexander, gesturing with his hand, was wanting to make a defense before the public
assembly. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for about two hours. The Jews in the crowd had pushed forward Alexander as a spokesman who wanted to make a defence before the assembly. When they realised that he was a Jew they took up the cry of the tradesmen and with one voice practically screamed “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” for two hours. 19:35 After the city secretary quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven?134 Eventually the city clerk managed to quieten the crowd and drew the attention to the fact that it was known throughout the Roman Empire that Ephesus was the guardian of the temple of the great goddess Artemis (Diana) whose imaged had fallen from heaven, Jupiter the King James Version has. Note. Pliny says, it was doubted of what it was made; some said of the vine tree, others of ebony; but Athenagoras says, the old image of Diana of the Ephesians was made of olive. If the original idol had in fact fallen from the sky you would have thought that it was perhaps a piece of a meteor that vaguely resembled a woman’s figure. 19:36–37 So because these facts are indisputable, you must keep quiet and not do anything reckless. For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. The clerk went on to say that as these facts cannot be disputed they should stay calm and do nothing rash. The two men they had brought to the assembly had neither robbed the temple nor were blasphemers of the goddess. 19:38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. Turning to Demetrius he told him that if he or the craftsmen had a complaint against anyone they should abide by the law by taking the matter before the courts and proconsuls to press charges against those they are complaining of. 19:39 But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly. If there were any other's matters apart from that brought by Demetrius it must be settled in a lawful assembly. 19:40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause we can give to explain this disorderly gathering." If they do not listen to him and do as he suggests then they will be in danger of being charged with rioting for there is no reason that can justify their disorderly behaviour. 19:41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
He then dismissed them and they dispersed. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians refers to this episode in Ephesus as a time when he “fought with beasts” (1 Corinthians 15:32). He also referred to his troubles in Asia in 2 Corinthians 1:8–10. © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2015. Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org