CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Acts 19 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/acts/19.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/acts/19-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Acts 19</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../acts/18.htm" title="Acts 18">◄</a> Acts 19 <a href="../acts/20.htm" title="Acts 20">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Paul in Ephesus</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_1"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.1" class="v44_19_1">1</span>While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled across the hill country to Ephesus, where he met some of the Lord's followers. </span><span class="v44_19_2"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.2" class="v44_19_2">2</span>He asked them, “When you put your faith in Jesus, were you given the Holy Spirit?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_2">“No!” they answered. “We have never even heard of the Holy Spirit.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_3"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.3" class="v44_19_3">3</span>“Then why were you baptized?” Paul asked.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_3">They answered, “Because of what John taught.”<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.19.3!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_4"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.4" class="v44_19_4">4</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.19.4!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Paul replied, “John baptized people so they would turn to God. But he also told them someone else was coming, and they should put their faith in him. Jesus is the one that John was talking about.” </span><span class="v44_19_5"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.5" class="v44_19_5">5</span>After the people heard Paul say this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. </span><span class="v44_19_6"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.6" class="v44_19_6">6</span>Then Paul placed his hands on them. The Holy Spirit was given to them, and they spoke unknown languages and prophesied. </span><span class="v44_19_7"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.7" class="v44_19_7">7</span>There were about twelve men in this group.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_8"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.8" class="v44_19_8">8</span>For three months Paul went to the synagogue and talked bravely with the people about God's kingdom. He tried to win them over, </span><span class="v44_19_9"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.9" class="v44_19_9">9</span>but some of them were stubborn and refused to believe. In front of everyone they said terrible things about God's Way. Paul left and took the followers with him to the lecture hall of Tyrannus. He spoke there every day </span><span class="v44_19_10"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.10" class="v44_19_10">10</span>for two years, until every Jew and Gentile<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.19.10!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> in Asia had heard the Lord's message.</span></p><h3 class="s1">The Sons of Sceva</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_11"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.11" class="v44_19_11">11</span>God gave Paul the power to work great miracles. </span><span class="v44_19_12"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.12" class="v44_19_12">12</span>People even took handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul's body, and they carried them to everyone who was sick. All of the sick people were healed, and the evil spirits went out.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_13"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.13" class="v44_19_13">13</span>Some Jewish men started going around trying to force out evil spirits by using the name of the Lord Jesus. They said to the spirits, “Come out in the name of that same Jesus that Paul preaches about!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_14"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.14" class="v44_19_14">14</span>Seven sons of a high priest named Sceva were doing this, </span><span class="v44_19_15"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.15" class="v44_19_15">15</span>when an evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus! And I have heard about Paul. But who are you?” </span><span class="v44_19_16"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.16" class="v44_19_16">16</span>Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them up. They ran out of the house, naked and bruised.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_17"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.17" class="v44_19_17">17</span>When the Jews and Gentiles<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.19.17!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> in Ephesus heard about this, they were so frightened that they praised the name of the Lord Jesus. </span><span class="v44_19_18"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.18" class="v44_19_18">18</span>Many who were followers now started telling everyone about the evil things they had been doing. </span><span class="v44_19_19"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.19" class="v44_19_19">19</span>Some who had been practicing witchcraft even brought their books and burned them in public. These books were worth about 50,000 silver coins. </span><span class="v44_19_20"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.20" class="v44_19_20">20</span>So the Lord's message spread and became even more powerful.</span></p><h3 class="s1">The Riot in Ephesus</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_21"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.21" class="v44_19_21">21</span>After all this had happened, Paul decided<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.19.21!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> to visit Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. Paul had said, “From there I will go on to Rome.” </span><span class="v44_19_22"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.22" class="v44_19_22">22</span>So he sent his two helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia. But he stayed on in Asia for a while.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_23"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.23" class="v44_19_23">23</span>At that time there was serious trouble because of the Lord's Way.<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.19.23!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v44_19_24"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.24" class="v44_19_24">24</span>A silversmith named Demetrius had a business that made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. Those who worked for him earned a lot of money. </span><span class="v44_19_25"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.25" class="v44_19_25">25</span>Demetrius brought together everyone who was in the same business and said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v44_19_25">Friends, you know we make a good living at this. </span><span class="v44_19_26"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.26" class="v44_19_26">26</span>But you have surely seen and heard how this man Paul is upsetting a lot of people, not only in Ephesus, but almost everywhere in Asia. He claims that the gods we humans make are not really gods at all. </span><span class="v44_19_27"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.27" class="v44_19_27">27</span>Everyone will start saying terrible things about our business. They will stop respecting the temple of the goddess Artemis, who is worshiped in Asia and all over the world. Our great goddess will be forgotten!</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_28"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.28" class="v44_19_28">28</span>When the workers heard this, they got angry and started shouting, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!” </span><span class="v44_19_29"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.29" class="v44_19_29">29</span>Soon the whole city was in a riot, and some men grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, who had come from Macedonia with Paul. Then everyone in the crowd rushed to the place where the town meetings were held.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_30"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.30" class="v44_19_30">30</span>Paul wanted to go out and speak to the people, but the Lord's followers would not let him. </span><span class="v44_19_31"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.31" class="v44_19_31">31</span>A few of the local officials were friendly to Paul, and they sent someone to warn him not to go.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_32"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.32" class="v44_19_32">32</span>Some of the people in the meeting were shouting one thing, and others were shouting something else. Everyone was completely confused, and most of them did not even know why they were there.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_33"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.33" class="v44_19_33">33</span>Several of the Jewish leaders pushed a man named Alexander to the front of the crowd and started telling him what to say. He motioned with his hand and tried to explain what was going on. </span><span class="v44_19_34"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.34" class="v44_19_34">34</span>But when the crowd saw that he was Jewish, they all shouted for two hours, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_35"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.35" class="v44_19_35">35</span>Finally, a town official made the crowd be quiet. Then he said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v44_19_35">People of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that our city is the center for worshiping the great goddess Artemis? Who doesn't know that her image which fell from heaven is right here? </span><span class="v44_19_36"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.36" class="v44_19_36">36</span>No one can deny this, and so you should calm down and not do anything foolish. </span><span class="v44_19_37"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.37" class="v44_19_37">37</span>You have brought men in here who have not robbed temples or spoken against our goddess.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v44_19_38"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.38" class="v44_19_38">38</span>If Demetrius and his workers have a case against these men, we have courts and judges. Let them take their complaints there. </span><span class="v44_19_39"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.39" class="v44_19_39">39</span>But if you want to do more than that, the matter will have to be brought before the city council. </span><span class="v44_19_40"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.40" class="v44_19_40">40</span>We could easily be accused of starting a riot today. There is no excuse for it! We cannot even give a reason for this uproar.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_19_41"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.19.41" class="v44_19_41">41</span>After saying this, he told the people to leave.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">19.3 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Then why were you baptized? … Because of what John taught: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “In whose name were you baptized? … We were baptized in John's name.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">19.10 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Gentile: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">The text has “Greek” (see the note at 14.1).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">19.17 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Gentiles: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">The text has “Greeks” (see the note at 14.1).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">19.21 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Paul decided: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “Paul was led by the Holy Spirit.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">19.23 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the Lord's Way: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 9.2.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Bible text from the Contemporary English Version 2nd Edition (CEV®) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (<a href="http://www.americanbible.org">www.americanbible.org</a>). Learn more at <a href="http://www.cev.bible">www.cev.bible</a>. Discover .BIBLE resources for your ministry at <a href="http://www.get.bible/cev">www.get.bible/cev</a></span></p><br /><br /><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /><br /><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../acts/18.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Acts 18"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Acts 18" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../acts/20.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Acts 20"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Acts 20" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/acts/19-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>