| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1It was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul passed through the inland districts and came to Ephesus. He found a few disciples there | 1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples |
| 2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." | 2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"" No," they told him, "we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."" |
| 3He then asked, "Then into what were you baptized?" They answered, "Into John's baptism." | 3Then what baptism were you baptized with?" he asked them." With John's baptism," they replied. |
| 4Then Paul said, "John baptized when they repented, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." | 4Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One who would come after him, that is, in Jesus." |
| 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. | 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. |
| 6When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in foreign languages and to prophesy. | 6And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in other languages and to prophesy. |
| 7There were about twelve men in all. | 7Now there were about 12 men in all. |
| 8He went into the synagogue and spoke there boldly for three months, holding discussions and persuading those who heard him about the kingdom of God. | 8Then he entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, engaging in discussion and trying to persuade them about the things of the kingdom of God. |
| 9But when some people became stubborn, refused to believe, and slandered the Way in front of the people, Paul left them, taking his disciples away with him, and held daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. | 9But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them and met separately with the disciples, conducting discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. |
| 10This went on for two years, so that all who lived in Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. | 10And this went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message about the Lord. |
| 11God continued to do extraordinary miracles through Paul. | 11God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul's hands, |
| 12When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them. | 12so that even facecloths or work aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. |
| 13Then some Jews who went around trying to drive out demons attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!" | 13Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!" |
| 14Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. | 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. |
| 15But the evil spirit told them, "Jesus I know, and I am getting acquainted with Paul, but who are you?" | 15The evil spirit answered them, "I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul--but who are you?" |
| 16Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised. | 16Then the man who had the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded. |
| 17When this became known to everyone living in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks alike, they all became terrified, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor. | 17This became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. Then fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. |
| 18Many who became believers kept coming to confess and talk about what they had been doing. | 18And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, |
| 19Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins. | 19while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be 50,000 pieces of silver. |
| 20In that way the word of the Lord kept spreading and triumphing. | 20In this way the Lord's message flourished and prevailed. |
| 21After these things had happened, Paul decided to go through Macedonia and Achaia and then to go on to Jerusalem. "After I have gone there," he told them, "I must also see Rome." | 21When these events were over, Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem. "After I've been there," he said, "I must see Rome as well!" |
| 22Then he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed in Asia a while longer. | 22So after sending two of those who assisted him, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. |
| 23Now about that time a great commotion broke out concerning the Way. | 23During that time there was a major disturbance about the Way. |
| 24By making silver shrines of Artemis, a silversmith named Demetrius provided a large income for skilled workers. | 24For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen. |
| 25He called a meeting of these men and others who were engaged in similar trades and said, "Men, you well know that we get a good income from this business. | 25When he had assembled them, as well as the workers engaged in this type of business, he said: "Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business. |
| 26You also see and hear that, not only in Ephesus, but almost all over Asia, this man Paul has won over and taken away a large crowd by telling them that gods made by human hands are not gods at all. | 26You both see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods! |
| 27There is a danger not only that our business will lose its reputation but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be brought into disrepute and that she will be robbed of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her." | 27So not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin--the very one all of Asia and the world adore." |
| 28When they heard this, they became furious and began to shout, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" | 28When they had heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" |
| 29The city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed into the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's fellow travelers from Macedonia. | 29So the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed all together into the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions. |
| 30Paul wanted to go into the crowd, but the disciples wouldn't let him. | 30Though Paul wanted to go in before the people, the disciples did not let him. |
| 31Even some officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message urging him not to risk his life in the theater. | 31Even some of the provincial officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent word to him, pleading with him not to take a chance by going into the amphitheater. |
| 32Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, since the crowd was confused, and most of them didn't know why they were meeting. | 32Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, because the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. |
| 33Some of the crowd concluded it was because of Alexander, since the Jews had pushed him to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. | 33Then some of the crowd gave Alexander advice when the Jews pushed him to the front. So motioning with his hand, Alexander wanted to make his defense to the people. |
| 34But when they found out that he was a Jew, they all started to shout in unison for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" | 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a united cry went up from all of them for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" |
| 35When the city recorder had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that this city of Ephesus is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell down from heaven? | 35However, when the city clerk had calmed the crowd down, he said, "Men of Ephesus! What man is there who doesn't know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple guardian of the great Artemis, and of the image that fell from heaven? |
| 36Since these things cannot be denied, you must be quiet and not do anything reckless. | 36Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash. |
| 37For you have brought these men here, although they neither rob temples nor blaspheme our goddess. | 37For you have brought these men here who are not temple robbers or blasphemers of our goddess. |
| 38So if Demetrius and his workers have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They should accuse one another there. | 38So if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the courts are in session, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. |
| 39But if you want anything else, it must be settled in the regular assembly, | 39But if you want something else, it must be decided in a legal assembly. |
| 40because we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, and there is no good reason we can give to justify this commotion." | 40In fact, we run a risk of being charged with rioting for what happened today, since there is no justification that we can give as a reason for this disorderly gathering." |
| 41After saying this, he dismissed the assembly. | 41After saying this, he dismissed the assembly. |
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