Acts 19:13-40

¹³Then certaine of the vagabond Iewes, exorcistes, tooke in hand to name ouer them which had euil spirits, the Name of the Lord Iesus, saying, We adiure you by Iesus, whom Paul preacheth.

¹⁴(And there were certaine sonnes of Sceua a Iewe, the Priest, about seuen which did this)

¹⁵And the euil spirit answered, and said, Iesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know: but who are ye?

¹⁶And the man in whome the euil spirit was, ranne on them, and ouercame them, and preuailed against them, so that they fledde out of that house, naked, and wounded.

¹⁷And this was knowen to all the Iewes and Grecians also, which dwelt at Ephesus, and feare came on them all, and the Name of the Lord Iesus was magnified,

¹⁸And many that beleeued, came and confessed, and shewed their workes.

¹⁹Many also of them which vsed curious artes, brought their bookes, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fiftie thousand pieces of siluer.

²⁰So the worde of God grewe mightily, and preuailed.

²¹Nowe when these things were accomplished, Paul purposed by the Spirite to passe through Macedonia and Achaia, and to goe to Hierusalem, saying, After I haue bene there, I must also see Rome.

²²So sent hee into Macedonia two of them that ministred vnto him, Timotheus and Erastus, but he remained in Asia for a season.

²³And the same time there arose no small trouble about that way.

²⁴For a certaine man named Demetrius a siluersmith, which made siluer temples of Diana, brought great gaines vnto the craftesmen,

²⁵Whom he called together, with the workemen of like things, and saide, Syrs, ye knowe that by this craft we haue our goods:

²⁶Moreouer ye see and heare, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded, and turned away much people, saying, That they be not gods which are made with handes.

²⁷So that not onely this thing is dangerous vnto vs, that this our portion shall be reproued, but also that the temple of the great goddesse Diana should be nothing esteemed, and that it would come to passe that her magnificence, which all Asia and the world worshippeth, should be destroyed.

²⁸Now when they heard it, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

²⁹And the whole citie was full of confusion, and they rushed into the common place with one assent, and caught Gaius, and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, and Pauls companions of his iourney.

³⁰And when Paul would haue entred in vnto the people, the disciples suffred him not.

³¹Certaine also of the chiefe of Asia which were his friendes, sent vnto him, desiring him that hee woulde not present him selfe in the Common place.

³²Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assemblie was out of order, and the more part knewe not wherefore they were come together.

³³And some of the company drew foorth Alexander, the Iewes thrusting him forwards. Alexander then beckened with the hande, and woulde haue excused the matter to the people.

³⁴But when they knew that he was a Iewe, there arose a shoute almost for the space of two houres, of all men crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

³⁵Then the towne clearke when hee had stayed the people, saide, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is it that knoweth not howe that the citie of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddesse Diana, and of the image, which came downe from Iupiter?

³⁶Seeing then that no man can speake against these things, ye ought to be appeased, and to doe nothing rashly.

³⁷For yee haue brought hither these men, which haue neither committed sacrilege, neither doe blaspheme your goddesse.

³⁸Wherefore, if Demetrius and the craftes men which are with him, haue a matter against any man, the lawe is open, and there are Deputies: let them accuse one another.

³⁹But if ye inquire any thing cocerning other matters, it may be determined in a lawful assembly.

⁴⁰For we are euen in ieopardie to be accused of this dayes sedition, for as much as there is no cause, whereby we may giue a reason of this concourse of people.