# Acts 19 📖: Riot in Ephesus [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Acts Overview]] | [[Acts 18]] | [[Acts 20]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📄 Outline]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) #### Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus **Principle**: Faithfulness in obscurity prepares us for whatever comes next. [[#Verse 01.]] While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples there  [[#Verse 02.]] and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  [[#Verse 03.]] So Paul said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied.  [[#Verse 04.]] Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”  [[#Verse 05.]] When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,  [[#Verse 06.]] and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.  [[#Verse 07.]] (Now there were about twelve men in all.) ### Paul Continues to Minister at Ephesus **Principle**: [[#Verse 08.]] So Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of God.  [[#Verse 09.]] But when some were stubborn and refused to believe, reviling the Way before the congregation, he left them and took the disciples with him, addressing them every day in the lecture hallof Tyrannus.  [[#Verse 10.]] This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. ### The Seven Sons of Sceva **Principle**: Authority comes from Jesus through us. [[#Verse 11.]] God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, [[#Verse 12.]] so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.  [[#Verse 13.]] But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”  [[#Verse 14.]] (Now seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.)  [[#Verse 15.]] But the evil spirit replied to them, “I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?”  [[#Verse 16.]] Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.  [[#Verse 17.]] This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised.  [[#Verse 18.]] Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known.  [[#Verse 19.]] Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total 50,000 silver coins. [[#Verse 20.]] In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail. ### A Riot in Ephesus **Principle**: Gospel brings hope and challenge. [[#Verse 21.]] Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”  [[#Verse 22.]] So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. [[#Verse 23.]] At that time a great disturbance took place concerning the Way.  [[#Verse 24.]] For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen.  [[#Verse 25.]] He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business.  [[#Verse 26.]] And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all.  [[#Verse 27.]] There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asiaand the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” [[#Verse 28.]] When they heard this they became enraged and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”  [[#Verse 29.]] The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions.  [[#Verse 30.]] But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, the disciples would not let him.  [[#Verse 31.]] Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater.  [[#Verse 32.]] So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. [[#Verse 33.]] Some of the crowd concluded it was about Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. Alexander, gesturing with his hand, was wanting to make a defense before the public assembly.  [[#Verse 34.]] But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. [[#Verse 35.]] After the city secretary quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven?  [[#Verse 36.]] So because these facts are indisputable, you must keep quiet and not do anything reckless.  [[#Verse 37.]] For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.  [[#Verse 38.]] If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there.  [[#Verse 39.]] But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly.  [[#Verse 40.]] For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause we can give to explain this disorderly gathering.”  [[#Verse 41.]] After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ###### Verse 33. ###### Verse 34. ###### Verse 34. ###### Verse 35. ###### Verse 36. ###### Verse 37. ###### Verse 38. ###### Verse 39. ###### Verse 40. ###### Verse 41. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Ephesus (19:1) was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire and the leading city of the province of Asia. 2. The temple of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 3. Paul taught daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus (19:9) for two years, and all who lived in Asia heard the word (19:10). 4. Some manuscripts add that Paul taught there from eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day when many rested. 5. The seven sons of Sceva (19:14) tried to use Jesus' name like a magic formula and were overpowered. 6. Ephesus was famous for magic. Written spells were even called "Ephesian letters" in the ancient world. 7. The magic books burned were worth fifty thousand silver coins (19:19), a fortune at the time. 8. The theater at Ephesus (19:29) seated about twenty-five thousand people, and its ruins can still be visited. 9. The crowd shouted "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for about two hours (19:34). 10. The city clerk (19:35) was the chief civic official who dealt with Rome, and he calmed the crowd by warning that Rome could punish them for rioting. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the Lord Jesus whose name is greater than every spiritual power (19:13-17; Philippians 2:9-10). As people turned to Him, they abandoned magic and idols, and the word of the Lord grew mightily (19:18-20). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. The disciples at Ephesus had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit (19:2). What is the next step God wants you to take in following Him? 2. New believers burned their costly magic books in public (19:19). What might God be asking you to remove from your life? 3. The silversmiths rioted because the gospel threatened their business (19:24-27). How can money shape what people think about the truth? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 2: Paul asks the disciples whether they received the Holy Spirit when they believed. - 📖 verses 11-12: God does extraordinary miracles through Paul. - 📖 verse 20: The word of the Lord continues to grow and prevail. - 📖 verses 26-27: Demetrius fears the gospel will ruin the trade in idols and the honor of Artemis. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Acts 08#Verse 14.|Acts 8:14-17]] - Believers receive the Spirit through the apostles. - 🔗 [[Matthew 03#Verse 11.|Matthew 3:11]] - John baptized with water, but the One coming will baptize with the Spirit. - 🔗 [[1 Corinthians 16#Verse 08.|1 Corinthians 16:8-9]] - A wide door has opened at Ephesus. - 🔗 [[Deuteronomy 18#Verse 10.|Deuteronomy 18:10-12]] - The prohibition of sorcery. - 🔗 [[Psalm 115#Verse 04.|Psalm 115:4-8]] - Idols made by human hands. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Acts 19 - SOAP|The Importance of the “Together Life”]] ## 📄 Outline (Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT) “While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.” ‭‬‬ BI- There is always a next step. 1- Be faithful with what you have already received. 2- Don’t immediately dismiss something until you have heard it out. 3- From Paul’s Perspective- Be willing to give what you have received. ## 📂 Internal Notes %% ### Outline **Big Idea**: **Point 1**: **Point 2**: **Point 3**: %%