Acts

保罗在以弗所

1亚波罗在哥林多的时候，保罗经过了上边一带地方，就来到以弗所；在那里遇见几个门徒，

2问他们说：「你们信的时候受了圣灵没有？」他们回答说：「没有，也未曾听见有圣灵赐下来。」

3保罗说：「这样，你们受的是什么洗呢？」他们说：「是约翰的洗。」

4保罗说：「约翰所行的是悔改的洗，告诉百姓当信那在他以后要来的，就是耶稣。」

5他们听见这话，就奉主耶稣的名受洗。

6保罗按手在他们头上，圣灵便降在他们身上，他们就说方言，又说预言。

7一共约有十二个人。

8保罗进会堂，放胆讲道，一连三个月，辩论 神国的事，劝化众人。

9后来，有些人心里刚硬不信，在众人面前毁谤这道，保罗就离开他们，也叫门徒与他们分离，便在推喇奴的学房天天辩论。

10这样有两年之久，叫一切住在亚细亚的，无论是犹太人，是希腊人，都听见主的道。

士基瓦的儿子们

11神借保罗的手行了些非常的奇事；

12甚至有人从保罗身上拿手巾或围裙放在病人身上，病就退了，恶鬼也出去了。

13那时，有几个游行各处、念咒赶鬼的犹太人，向那被恶鬼附的人擅自称主耶稣的名，说：「我奉保罗所传的耶稣敕令你们出来！」

14做这事的，有犹太祭司长士基瓦的七个儿子。

15恶鬼回答他们说：「耶稣我认识，保罗我也知道。你们却是谁呢？」

16恶鬼所附的人就跳在他们身上，胜了其中二人，制伏他们，叫他们赤着身子受了伤，从那房子里逃出去了。

17凡住在以弗所的，无论是犹太人，是希腊人，都知道这事，也都惧怕；主耶稣的名从此就尊大了。

18那已经信的，多有人来承认诉说自己所行的事。

19平素行邪术的，也有许多人把书拿来，堆积在众人面前焚烧。他们算计书价，便知道共合五万块钱。

20主的道大大兴旺，而且得胜，就是这样。

以弗所的暴动

21这些事完了，保罗心里定意经过了马其顿、亚该亚，就往耶路撒冷去；又说：「我到了那里以后，也必须往罗马去看看。」

22于是从帮助他的人中打发提摩太、以拉都二人往马其顿去，自己暂时等在亚细亚。

23那时，因为这道起的扰乱不小。

24有一个银匠，名叫底米丢，是制造亚底米神银龛的，他使这样手艺人生意发达。

25他聚集他们和同行的工人，说：「众位，你们知道我们是倚靠这生意发财。

26这保罗不但在以弗所，也几乎在亚细亚全地，引诱迷惑许多人，说：『人手所做的，不是神。』这是你们所看见所听见的。

27这样，不独我们这事业被人藐视，就是大女神亚底米的庙也要被人轻忽，连亚细亚全地和普天下所敬拜的大女神之威荣也要消灭了。」

28众人听见，就怒气填胸，喊着说：「大哉，以弗所人的亚底米啊！」

29满城都轰动起来。众人拿住与保罗同行的马其顿人该犹和亚里达古，齐心拥进戏园里去。

30保罗想要进去，到百姓那里，门徒却不许他去。

31还有亚细亚几位首领，是保罗的朋友，打发人来劝他，不要冒险到戏园里去。

32聚集的人纷纷乱乱，有喊叫这个的，有喊叫那个的；大半不知道是为什么聚集。

33有人把亚历山大从众人中带出来，犹太人推他往前，亚历山大就摆手，要向百姓分诉；

34只因他们认出他是犹太人，就大家同声喊着说：「大哉！以弗所人的亚底米啊。」如此约有两小时。

35那城里的书记安抚了众人，就说：「以弗所人哪，谁不知道以弗所人的城是看守大亚底米的庙和从宙斯那里落下来的像呢？

36这事既是驳不倒的，你们就当安静，不可造次。

37你们把这些人带来，他们并没有偷窃庙中之物，也没有谤 我们的女神。

38若是底米丢和他同行的人有控告人的事，自有放告的日子，也有方伯可以彼此对告。

39你们若问别的事，就可以照常例聚集断定。

40今日的扰乱本是无缘无故，我们难免被查问。论到这样聚众，我们也说不出所以然来。」

41说了这话，便叫众人散去。

1And it came to pass, in Apollos' being in Corinth, Paul having gone through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples,

2he said unto them, 'The Holy Spirit did ye receive — having believed?' and they said unto him, 'But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit;'

3and he said unto them, 'To what, then, were ye baptized?' and they said, 'To John's baptism.'

4And Paul said, 'John, indeed, did baptize with a baptism of reformation, saying to the people that in him who is coming after him they should believe — that is, in the Christ — Jesus;'

5and they, having heard, were baptized — to the name of the Lord Jesus,

6and Paul having laid on them [his] hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,

7and all the men were, as it were, twelve.

8And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the reign of God,

9and when certain were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, having departed from them, he did separate the disciples, every day reasoning in the school of a certain Tyrannus.

10And this happened for two years so that all those dwelling in Asia did hear the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks,

11mighty works also — not common — was God working through the hands of Paul,

12so that even unto the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the sicknesses departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them.

13And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, 'We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;'

14and there were certain — seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest — who are doing this thing;

15and the evil spirit, answering, said, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye — who are ye?'

16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,

17and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,

18many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,

19and many of those who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning [them] before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found [it] five myriads of silverlings;

20so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.

21And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in the Spirit, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, to go on to Jerusalem, saying — 'After my being there, it behoveth me also to see Rome;'

22and having sent to Macedonia two of those ministering to him — Timotheus and Erastus — he himself stayed a time in Asia.

23And there came, at that time, not a little stir about the way,

24for a certain one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing to the artificers gain not a little,

25whom, having brought in a crowd together, and those who did work about such things, he said, 'Men, ye know that by this work we have our wealth;

26and ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this Paul, having persuaded, did turn away a great multitude, saying, that they are not gods who are made by hands;

27and not only is this department in danger for us of coming into disregard, but also, that of the great goddess Artemis the temple is to be reckoned for nothing, and also her greatness is about to be brought down, whom all Asia and the world doth worship.'

28And they having heard, and having become full of wrath, were crying out, saying, 'Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!'

29and the whole city was filled with confusion, they rushed also with one accord into the theatre, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's fellow-travellers.

30And on Paul's purposing to enter in unto the populace, the disciples were not suffering him,

31and certain also of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, having sent unto him, were entreating him not to venture himself into the theatre.

32Some indeed, therefore, were calling out one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they were come together;

33and out of the multitude they put forward Alexander — the Jews thrusting him forward — and Alexander having beckoned with the hand, wished to make defence to the populace,

34and having known that he is a Jew, one voice came out of all, for about two hours, crying, 'Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!'

35And the public clerk having quieted the multitude, saith, 'Men, Ephesians, why, who is the man that doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is a devotee of the great goddess Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?

36these things, then, not being to be gainsaid, it is necessary for you to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

37'For ye brought these men, who are neither temple-robbers nor speaking evil of your goddess;

38if indeed, therefore, Demetrius and the artificers with him with any one have a matter, court [days] are held, and there are proconsuls; let them accuse one another.

39'And if ye seek after anything concerning other matters, in the legal assembly it shall be determined;

40for we are also in peril of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being no occasion by which we shall be able to give an account of this concourse;'

41and these things having said, he dismissed the assembly.