Acts

保羅在以弗所

1亞波羅在哥林多的時候，保羅經過了上邊一帶地方，就來到以弗所；在那裏遇見幾個門徒，

2問他們說：「你們信的時候受了聖靈沒有？」他們回答說：「沒有，也未曾聽見有聖靈賜下來。」

3保羅說：「這樣，你們受的是甚麼洗呢？」他們說：「是約翰的洗。」

4保羅說：「約翰所行的是悔改的洗，告訴百姓當信那在他以後要來的，就是耶穌。」

5他們聽見這話，就奉主耶穌的名受洗。

6保羅按手在他們頭上，聖靈便降在他們身上，他們就說方言，又說預言。

7一共約有十二個人。

8保羅進會堂，放膽講道，一連三個月，辯論上帝國的事，勸化眾人。

9後來，有些人心裏剛硬不信，在眾人面前毀謗這道，保羅就離開他們，也叫門徒與他們分離，便在推喇奴的學房天天辯論。

10這樣有兩年之久，叫一切住在亞細亞的，無論是猶太人，是希臘人，都聽見主的道。

士基瓦的兒子們

11上帝藉保羅的手行了些非常的奇事；

12甚至有人從保羅身上拿手巾或圍裙放在病人身上，病就退了，惡鬼也出去了。

13那時，有幾個遊行各處、念咒趕鬼的猶太人，向那被惡鬼附的人擅自稱主耶穌的名，說：「我奉保羅所傳的耶穌觢令你們出來！」

14做這事的，有猶太祭司長士基瓦的七個兒子。

15惡鬼回答他們說：「耶穌我認識，保羅我也知道。你們卻是誰呢？」

16惡鬼所附的人就跳在他們身上，勝了其中二人，制伏他們，叫他們赤着身子受了傷，從那房子裏逃出去了。

17凡住在以弗所的，無論是猶太人，是希臘人，都知道這事，也都懼怕；主耶穌的名從此就尊大了。

18那已經信的，多有人來承認訴說自己所行的事。

19平素行邪術的，也有許多人把書拿來，堆積在眾人面前焚燒。他們算計書價，便知道共合五萬塊錢。

20主的道大大興旺，而且得勝，就是這樣。

以弗所的暴動

21這些事完了，保羅心裏定意經過了馬其頓、亞該亞，就往耶路撒冷去；又說：「我到了那裏以後，也必須往羅馬去看看。」

22於是從幫助他的人中打發提摩太、以拉都二人往馬其頓去，自己暫時等在亞細亞。

23那時，因為這道起的擾亂不小。

24有一個銀匠，名叫底米丟，是製造亞底米神銀龕的，他使這樣手藝人生意發達。

25他聚集他們和同行的工人，說：「眾位，你們知道我們是倚靠這生意發財。

26這保羅不但在以弗所，也幾乎在亞細亞全地，引誘迷惑許多人，說：『人手所做的，不是神。』這是你們所看見所聽見的。

27這樣，不獨我們這事業被人藐視，就是大女神亞底米的廟也要被人輕忽，連亞細亞全地和普天下所敬拜的大女神之威榮也要消滅了。」

28眾人聽見，就怒氣填胸，喊着說：「大哉，以弗所人的亞底米啊！」

29滿城都轟動起來。眾人拿住與保羅同行的馬其頓人該猶和亞里達古，齊心擁進戲園裏去。

30保羅想要進去，到百姓那裏，門徒卻不許他去。

31還有亞細亞幾位首領，是保羅的朋友，打發人來勸他，不要冒險到戲園裏去。

32聚集的人紛紛亂亂，有喊叫這個的，有喊叫那個的；大半不知道是為甚麼聚集。

33有人把亞歷山大從眾人中帶出來，猶太人推他往前，亞歷山大就擺手，要向百姓分訴；

34只因他們認出他是猶太人，就大家同聲喊着說：「大哉！以弗所人的亞底米啊。」如此約有兩小時。

35那城裏的書記安撫了眾人，就說：「以弗所人哪，誰不知道以弗所人的城是看守大亞底米的廟和從宙斯那裏落下來的像呢？

36這事既是駁不倒的，你們就當安靜，不可造次。

37你們把這些人帶來，他們並沒有偷竊廟中之物，也沒有謗讟我們的女神。

38若是底米丟和他同行的人有控告人的事，自有放告的日子，也有方伯可以彼此對告。

39你們若問別的事，就可以照常例聚集斷定。

40今日的擾亂本是無緣無故，我們難免被查問。論到這樣聚眾，我們也說不出所以然來。」

41說了這話，便叫眾人散去。

The Holy Spirit Received at Ephesus

1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interiorand came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples

2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.

4Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”

5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

6And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

7There were about twelve men in all.

Paul Ministers in Ephesus

8Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.

9But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

10This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia,Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.

11God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,

12so that even handkerchiefsand aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.

Seven Sons of Sceva

13Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”

14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

15But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”

16Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded.

17This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

18Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.

19And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.

20So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.

The Riot in Ephesus

21After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spiritto go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”

22He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.

23About that time there arose a great disturbanceabout the Way.

24It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much businessto the craftsmen.

25Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.

26And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

27There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”

28When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

29Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.

30Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.

31Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asiasent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.

32Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there.

33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people.

34But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?

36Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.

37For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.

38So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.

39But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.

40For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”

41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.