Acts 19.1-41 tells us about some Ephesian believers who were immersed in the benefits and purposes of John’s immersion, who were waiting for the Messiah that John spoke about; their belief in Yeshua and being filled with the Ruach Ha Kodesh; Paul continuing to minister in Ephesus; several unusual miracles; a rebuke to the seven sons of Sceva; repentance from idolatry and magic; a riot ensues when Paul’s teaching ruins the business of idol-makers; and the mob calmed by a city clerk who showed the people there was no cause to riot; the threat to Paul and his companions is averted.
v 1…And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country (roads that ked over the higher mountains) came to Ephesus and found some talmidim (believers who predated Yeshua and immersed in John’s immersion of repentance; they had not heard about Yeshua yet and God sent Paul there about 58 AD,
v 2…and said to them, “Did you receive the Ruach Ha Kodesh when you believed (have you experienced the power manifestations; being clothed with the Kivod, direction through the Shekinah)?” And they said to him, “No, we have not heard whether there is a Ruach Ha Kodesh (meaning whether the Ruach had been given yet John 7.39; they knew there was a Ruach Ha Kodesh because they were immersed in John’s immersion and he talked about it and taught it; John was preparing the way for the Malkut Shamayim so they knew there was a Ruach).”
v 3…And he said, “Into what (in whose name and authority) then were you immersed?” And they said, “Into John’s immersion (they followed the purposes of what John was preaching about Messiah and his coming; like Apollos in 18.25).”
v 4…And Paul said, “John immersed with the immersion of repentance (in water), telling the people to believe in him who was coming after him, that is in Yeshua.”
v 5…And when they heard this, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Yeshua (with his approval; into the benefits and purposes he brought in the kingdom of God.
v 6…And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the ruach Ha Kodesh came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.
v 7…And there were in all about twelve men (and this grew into a large congregation).
v 8…And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God (his rule and movement in action and power).
v 9…But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient (unpersuaded), speaking evil of the way (of salvation through Yeshua) before the multitude, he withdrew from them (the disbelieving Jews) and took away the talmidim (from the synagogue), reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus (a beit midrash, a school of study).
v 10…And this took place for two years (after the three months in the synagogue in v 8), so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks (God-fearers).
v 11…And God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul (rare and uncommon ones),
v 12…so that handkerchiefs or aprons (that workmen wear and use) were even carried from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.
v 13…But also some of the Jewish exorcists (who practiced deceit and magical arts for gain) went from place to place (telling fortunes, divination), attempted to name over those who had evil spirits the name of the Lord Yeshua, saying, “I adjure you by Yeshua whom Paul preaches (trying to imitate Paul; what so-called believers do today-Matt 7.21-23).”
v 14…And the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest (in the priestly line of Aaron living in Asia Minor; Sceva may not have been there himself; some manuscripts say only “a priest”), were doing this.
v 15…And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Yeshua, and I know about Paul, but who are you (a mere man is no match for evil spirits)?”
v 16…And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued both of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded (a picture of their spiritual state).
v 17…And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks (God-fearers) who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Yeshua was being magnified (this doesn’t mean they were saved-Acts 5.13, 24.25).
v 18…Many also of those who practiced magic (crooked arts, soothsayers, necromancers, conjurers, etc) brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of all (the public); and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver (thousands of dollars).
v 20…So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing (over the gates of hell).
v 21…Now after these things were finished (two years and three months), Paul purposed in the spirit (his intentions, desires in line with the Ruach Ha Kodesh) to go to Jerusalem (to keep Shavuot-18.21, 20.16), after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
v 22…And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while (probably some other areas like Pisidia Antioch, Iconium, Derbe and Lystra, etc.).
v 23…And about that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way (the Torah-based faith in Yeshua).
v 24…For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis (Diana; like Asherah, Ishtar, Astarte, Venus, Aphrodite depending on what culture-a goddess of sensuality and fertility, transformation of the sexes that had both male and female imagery), was bringing no small business to the craftsmen (their livelihood; paganism is a good business);
v 25…these he gathered together with the workmen of simpler trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business.
v 26…And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods (the kingdom of God drives out the worship of these gods; as taught in the Tanak-Psa 115.4-8; Jer 10.1-5, 16.19; Hos 8.6-7; however, when people turn away from the Torah and the truth, these “gods” or the demonic powers behind these gods will come back).
v 27…And not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall disrepute (no longer being able to sell idols), but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis (Diana) be regarded as worthless and she whom all of Asia and the world worship (an exaggeration, but paganism was everywhere) should even be dethroned from her magnificence.”
v 28…And when they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians (because of her temple there)!”
v 29…And the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater; dragging Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia (they could not find Paul at the school of Tyrannus).
v 30…And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the talmidim would not let him (to preach and help his friends, calm things down-it wasn’t a good idea for safety reasons).
v 31…And also some of the Asiarchus (chiefs of Asia, perhaps religious chiefs recognized by Rome, who had come for a festival) who were friends of his (Paul had their respect and goodwill because of his three years in Asia) sent to him not to venture into the theater.
v 32…So then, some were shouting one thing and some another (a mob mentality), for the assembly (Greek “ecclesia”, the Hebrew equivalent of “kahal”) was in confusion, and the majority did not know for what cause they had come together.
v 33…And some of the multitudes brought forth Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward (to renounce his faith in Yeshua, etc); and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly (he was a believer in Yeshua).
v 34…But when they recognized that he was a Jew, an outcry arose from all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis (Diana) of the Ephesians!”
v 35…And after quieting the multitude, the town clerk (keeper of the archives) said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and that (image) which fell down from heaven?
v 36…Since then these are undeniable facts (he was an intelligent man but did not disavow these pagan myths), you ought to keep calm and do nothing rash.
v 37…For you have brought these men who are neither robbers of blasphemers of our goddess (no crime).
v 38…So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls (Roman deputies) are available; let them bring charges against one another (produce evidence).
v 39…But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled (determined) in the lawful assembly (instead of your craft unions-he drives a wedge between the accuser and the mob).
v 40…For indeed we (the Ephesian officials) are in danger of being accused of a riot (an insurrection) in connection with today’s affair (should the report reach Rome), since there is no real cause for it; and this connection we shall be unable to account for this disorderly gathering (no grounds or cause for it; no crime where this mob could be defended).”
v 41…And after saying this he dismissed the assembly (ecclesia in Greek; Hebrew kahal; he was back in control; he was a good student of human nature).
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