\v 1 It came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to the city of Ephesus, and found certain disciples there.
\v 2 Paul said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They said to him, "No, we did not even hear about the Holy Spirit."
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\v 3 Paul said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."
\v 4 So Paul replied, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance. He told the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus."
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\v 5 When the people heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
\v 6 Then when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in other languages and prophesied.
\v 8 Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
\v 9 But when some Jews were hardened and disobedient, they began to speak evil of the way of Christ before the crowd. So Paul left them and led the believers away from them. He reasoned with them every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
\v 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits came out of them.
\v 13 But there were Jewish exorcists traveling through the area. They called on the name of the Lord Jesus so they could have power over evil spirits when they said, "By the Jesus whom Paul proclaims, I command you to come out."
\v 19 Many who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of everyone. When they counted the value of them, it was fifty thousand pieces of silver.
\v 20 So the word of the Lord spread very widely in powerful ways.
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\v 21 Now after Paul completed his ministry in Ephesus, he decided in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem; he said, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
\v 26 You see and hear that, not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people. He is saying that there are no gods that are made with hands.
\v 27 And not only is there danger that our trade will no longer be needed, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana may be considered worthless. Then she would even lose her greatness, she whom all Asia and the world worships."
\v 29 The whole city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed together into the theater. They had seized Paul's travel companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, who came from Macedonia.
\v 32 Some people were shouting one thing, and some another, for the crowd was in confusion. Most of them did not even know why they had come together.
\v 33 Some of the crowd informed Alexander, whom the Jews were pushing to the front, and so Alexander motioned with his hand, wanting to give an explanation to those who were assembled.
\v 34 But when they became aware that he was a Jew, they all cried out for about two hours with one voice, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians."
\v 35 When the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Diana and of the image which fell down from heaven?
\v 36 Seeing then that these things are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
\v 37 For you have brought these men to this court who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.
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\v 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have an accusation against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.
\v 39 But if you seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
\v 40 For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day's riot. There is no cause for this disorder, and we will not be able to explain it."
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