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。

1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”

5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

7They were about twelve men in all.

8He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.

9But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

10This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

11God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,

12so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

13But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

14There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.

15The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”

16The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

18Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.

19Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

21Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

22Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

23About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.

24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,

25whom he gathered together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.

26You see and hear that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands.

27Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”

28When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

29The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

30When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.

31Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.

32Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had come together.

33They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.

34But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

36Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rash.

37For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.

38If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.

39But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.

40For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”

41When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.