Acts 19

¹ Now it came to pass while Apollo was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper region to come to Ephesus and to find some disciples. ² And he said to them: Having believed, did you receive the Holy Spirit? But they said to him: But we haven't heard if there is [a] Holy Spirit. ³ And he said: In whom therefore were you baptized? So they said: In John the baptist. ⁴ So Paul said: John baptized [a] baptism of repentance, for the people saying [it is] for the [one] coming after him, in order that they believe, that is, in Jesus. ⁵ So having heard, they were baptized in the name of the Lord. ⁶ And when Paul's hands were placed on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them. And they were speaking in tongues and were prophesying. ⁷ Now all the men were [about] twelve [in number]. ⁸ So having gone into the synagogue, they were speaking openly for three months, discussing and persuading concerning the kingdom of God. ⁹ Now as some were hardened and were disobedient, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, having withdrawn from them, he took the disciples away, each day discussing in the school of Tyrranus. ¹⁰ Now this came to pass for ten years, so that all those dwelling in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. ¹¹ And God was doing extraordinary powers through the hands of Paul, ¹² So that [they were] even putting upon the sick [a] handkerchief or apron from his skin¹ and the diseases left them, and the wicked² spirits went out. ¹³ Now some of the Jews, going around exorcising, tried to be naming upon those having the wicked² spirits the name of the Lord Jesus saying: I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul proclaims. ¹⁴ Now there were seven sons of a certain Skeua, [a] Jew, [a] chief priest, doing this. ¹⁵ But the wicked² spirit answering said: Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you? ¹⁶ And the man having leapt upon them, in whom was the wicked² spirit, having subdued them he overpowered them, so that naked and wounded they fled from the house. ¹⁷ Now this became known to all the Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. ¹⁸ And many of those having believed were beginning to confess and disclose their deeds. ¹⁹ And many of those practicing sorcery, having gathered the scrolls, were burning them before all, and they counted up the price of them and found five thousand silver [pieces]. ²⁰ Thus according to [the] strength of the Lord the word increased and was strong.

²¹ Now as these [things] were fulfilled, Paul purposed in the spirit having gone through Macedonia and Asia to go to Jerusalem, having said that: After the [things] having come to pass [to] me here, I must also see Rome. ²² So having sent to Macedonia two of those serving him, Timothy and Erastus, he stayed [some] time in Asia. ²³ Now it came to pass according to that opportune-time³ not [a] little disturbance concerning the way. ²⁴ For a certain Demetrius by name, silversmith, making silver shrines of Artemedes, got to the craftsmen not a little profit, ²⁵ whom having also gathered with the workers concerning such, he said: Men, you know that from this profit is our prosperity. ²⁶ And you behold and hear that not only Ephesus but nearly all of Asia this Paul, having persuaded [them], has turned away [a] large crowd, saying that: They having come to be through hands are not gods. ²⁷ And this not only endangers our portion to come to disrepute, but also [that] the temple of the great goddess Artemis be considered nothing, and even its magnificence be suffering loss, which all Asia and the inhabited world worship. ²⁸ So having heard and having become full of anger they were crying out saying: O great Artemis of Ephesus. ²⁹ The city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one purpose into the Theater, seizing Gaius and Aristandes of Macedonia, fellow travelers of Paul. ³⁰ Now while Paul was purposing to go out to the assembly, the disciples were not permitting him. ³¹ And some also of Asiarch, being friends to him, having sent to him, they were calling upon him not to give himself to the theater. ³² Others indeed were crying out something other, for the assembly⁴ was confused, and the majority did not know for what they were gathered together. ³³ Now they brought Alexander out of the crowd, the Jews putting him forward; so Alexander having waved his hand wanted to make defense to the assembly. ³⁴ Now having known that he is [a] Jew, one great voice came to pass from all, crying out for [about] two hours: Great [is] Artemis of Ephesus. ³⁵ So the [town] scribe having quieted the crowd said: Men [of] Ephesus, for who is there of men who does not know the Ephesian city is temple-keeper of the great Artemis and of that which fell from Zeus⁵? ³⁶ These [things] therefore being undeniable, it is necessary you be calm and be doing nothing reckless. ³⁷ For you brought those men neither sacrilegious⁶ nor slandering our goddess. ³⁸ If indeed therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have accusation against them, the court days are in session and there are proconsuls—let them accuse one another. ³⁹ But if you inquire further, it will be settled in the lawful assembly⁴. ⁴⁰ For we are indeed in danger of being accused of an uprising concerning the [events] today, there being no cause, concerning which we will be unable to give reason concerning this commotion. And having said these [things] he dismissed the assembly⁴.

¹i.e. which he had touched

²PONEROS (πoνηρoς ) here. The Greek word KAKOS (κακoς ) is always translated `evil', PONEROS is usually translated as `wicked' although occasionally as `bad'; it can also mean 'diseased', 'sickly' and is thus translated where appropriate. Like KAKOS, PONEROS also means `evil', but the harm that evil does is more in view, where KAKOS is more `evil as evil'.

³KAIROS (καιρoς ) `opportune time', `proper time', `season'

⁴EKKLESIA (εκκλησια) from "called out". Appears 114 times in the N.T., but only thrice in the Gospels ( Matt.16:18 (twice) and Matt.18:17). It's worth noting that when Jesus uses the term EKKLESIA, Christian community as we know it didn't yet exist—there were only the disciples. EKKLESIA is apparently different from 'synagogue' (SYNAGOGE (συναγωγη) which occurs 56 times in the N.T.) EKKLESIA is used in secular Greek literature of a popular assembly 'called to assemble', and also of those 'called' to a cult. EKKLESIA is used frequently in the N.T. outside of the Gospels to refer to Christian communities, but in Acts.7:38 it is used of the people of Israel led through the desert by Moses, and in Acts.19:32 ff. of a secular assembly. Thus, all told, the common translation of EKKLESIA as 'church' doesn't really reflect 1st century usage—it seems to mean more like 'a group of people assembled for some specific purpose'.

⁵i.e. "heaven"

⁶or "robbing temples" version 3.85.
On 08 Sep 2009, 19:29.