Paul in Ephesus
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled across the hill country to Ephesus, where he met some of the Lord's followers. 2 He asked them, “When you put your faith in Jesus, were you given the Holy Spirit?”
“No!” they answered. “We have never even heard of the Holy Spirit.”
3 “Then why were you baptized?” Paul asked.
They answered, “Because of what John taught.”
4 Paul replied, “John baptized people so they would turn to God. But he also told them someone else was coming, and they should put their faith in him. Jesus is the one that John was talking about.” 5 After the people heard Paul say this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then Paul placed his hands on them. The Holy Spirit was given to them, and they spoke unknown languages and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in this group.
8 For three months Paul went to the synagogue and talked bravely with the people about God's kingdom. He tried to win them over, 9 but some of them were stubborn and refused to believe. In front of everyone they said terrible things about God's Way. Paul left and took the followers with him to the lecture hall of Tyrannus. He spoke there every day 10 for two years, until every Jew and Gentile in Asia had heard the Lord's message.
The Sons of Sceva
11 God gave Paul the power to work great miracles. 12 People even took handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul's body, and they carried them to everyone who was sick. All of the sick people were healed, and the evil spirits went out.
13 Some Jewish men started going around trying to force out evil spirits by using the name of the Lord Jesus. They said to the spirits, “Come out in the name of that same Jesus that Paul preaches about!”
14 Seven sons of a high priest named Sceva were doing this, 15 when an evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus! And I have heard about Paul. But who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them up. They ran out of the house, naked and bruised.
17 When the Jews and Gentiles in Ephesus heard about this, they were so frightened that they praised the name of the Lord Jesus. 18 Many who were followers now started telling everyone about the evil things they had been doing. 19 Some who had been practicing witchcraft even brought their books and burned them in public. These books were worth about 50,000 silver coins. 20 So the Lord's message spread and became even more powerful.
The Riot in Ephesus
21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to visit Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. Paul had said, “From there I will go on to Rome.” 22 So he sent his two helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia. But he stayed on in Asia for a while.
23 At that time there was serious trouble because of the Lord's Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius had a business that made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. Those who worked for him earned a lot of money. 25 Demetrius brought together everyone who was in the same business and said:
Friends, you know we make a good living at this. 26 But you have surely seen and heard how this man Paul is upsetting a lot of people, not only in Ephesus, but almost everywhere in Asia. He claims that the gods we humans make are not really gods at all. 27 Everyone will start saying terrible things about our business. They will stop respecting the temple of the goddess Artemis, who is worshiped in Asia and all over the world. Our great goddess will be forgotten!
28 When the workers heard this, they got angry and started shouting, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was in a riot, and some men grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, who had come from Macedonia with Paul. Then everyone in the crowd rushed to the place where the town meetings were held.
30 Paul wanted to go out and speak to the people, but the Lord's followers would not let him. 31 A few of the local officials were friendly to Paul, and they sent someone to warn him not to go.
32 Some of the people in the meeting were shouting one thing, and others were shouting something else. Everyone was completely confused, and most of them did not even know why they were there.
33 Several of the Jewish leaders pushed a man named Alexander to the front of the crowd and started telling him what to say. He motioned with his hand and tried to explain what was going on. 34 But when the crowd saw that he was Jewish, they all shouted for two hours, “Great is Artemis, the goddess of the Ephesians!”
35 Finally, a town official made the crowd be quiet. Then he said:
People of Ephesus, who in the world doesn't know that our city is the center for worshiping the great goddess Artemis? Who doesn't know that her image which fell from heaven is right here? 36 No one can deny this, and so you should calm down and not do anything foolish. 37 You have brought men in here who have not robbed temples or spoken against our goddess.
38 If Demetrius and his workers have a case against these men, we have courts and judges. Let them take their complaints there. 39 But if you want to do more than that, the matter will have to be brought before the city council. 40 We could easily be accused of starting a riot today. There is no excuse for it! We cannot even give a reason for this uproar.
41 After saying this, he told the people to leave.
Pāvils Efesā
1 Kamēr Apolls bija Korintā, Pāvils, pārstaigājis augšējos apgabalus, nonāca Efesā un tur, sastapis dažus mācekļus, 2 tiem jautāja: “Vai jūs saņēmāt Svēto Garu, kad kļuvāt ticīgi?” Bet viņi atbildēja: “Pat dzirdējuši neesam, ka Svētais Gars ir.” 3 Viņš jautāja: “Kādā kristībā jūs esat kristīti?” Viņi atbildēja: “Jāņa kristībā.” 4 Pāvils sacīja: “Jānis kristīja uz atgriešanos no grēkiem un tautai mācīja, lai tic tam, kas nāks pēc viņa, – Jēzum.” 5 To dzirdējuši, viņi tika kristīti Kunga Jēzus vārdā, 6 un, kad Pāvils uzlika rokas, pār viņiem nāca Svētais Gars, un viņi sāka runāt mēlēs un pravietot. 7 Tādu vīru bija kādi divpadsmit. 8 Tad viņš iegāja sinagogā un drosmīgi sludināja trīs mēnešus, runādams un pārliecinādams par Dieva valstību. 9 Bet, kad daži ar nocietinātu sirdi neticēja un sapulcējušos ļaužu priekšā zākāja šo ticības ceļu, viņš kopā ar mācekļiem nošķīrās no tiem un ik dienas sarunājās Tiranna skolā . 10 Tas turpinājās divus gadus, tā ka visi Āzijas provinces iedzīvotāji dzirdēja Kunga vārdu – gan jūdi, gan grieķi.
Augstā priestera Skevas dēli
11 Dievs darīja neredzētus brīnumus caur Pāvila rokām, 12 tā ka pat, uzliekot slimajiem sviedrautus un apģērba gabalus, kas bijuši klāt pie viņa miesas, viņi no slimībām tika dziedināti un ļaunie gari izdzīti. 13 Arī daži apkārtklejojoši jūdu eksorcisti sāka piesaukt Kunga Jēzus vārdu pie ļauno garu apsēstiem, sacīdami: “Zvērinu ar Jēzu, kuru sludina Pāvils.” 14 Tā darīja kāda jūdu augstā priestera Skevas septiņi dēli. 15 Tad ļaunais gars tiem sacīja: “Jēzus man ir zināms, un pazīstu Pāvilu, bet kas esat jūs?” 16 Pēkšņi cilvēks, kam bija ļaunais gars, metās viņiem virsū un ar spēku pievārēja viņus, tā ka tie kaili un savainoti aizbēga no tā nama. 17 Tas kļuva zināms visiem jūdiem un grieķiem, kas dzīvoja Efesā, un pār visiem nāca lielas bailes, un Kunga Jēzus vārds tika augsti godināts. 18 Daudzi ticīgie nāca, atzinās un izstāstīja, ko bija darījuši. 19 Un krietni daudz to, kas bija nodarbojušies ar maģiju, sanesa savas grāmatas un visu priekšā tās sadedzināja. Grāmatu vērtība saskaitot izrādījās piecdesmit tūkstoši sudrabā. 20 Tā Kunga vārds auga un nostiprinājās lielā spēkā.
Efesas rotkaļi pret Pāvilu
21 Kad tas viss bija noticis, Pāvils, garā mudināts, nolēma pārstaigāt Maķedoniju un Ahaju un tad doties uz Jeruzālemi. Viņš sacīja: “Kad būšu tur bijis, man jāredz arī Roma.” 22 Nosūtījis uz Maķedoniju divus savus palīgus, Timoteju un Erastu, viņš pats kādu laiku palika Āzijā. 23 Tajā laikā izcēlās liels nemiers Kunga mācības dēļ. 24 Kāds sudrabkalis, vārdā Dēmētrijs, kas darināja no sudraba Artemīdas tempļa veidojumus, sagādādams rotkaļiem ienesīgu nodarbošanos, 25 saaicināja kopā visus šā darba darītājus un sacīja: “Vīri, jūs zināt, ka šī nodarbošanās nes mums peļņu. 26 Un jūs redzat un dzirdat, ka ne tikai Efesā, bet gandrīz visā Āzijas provincē šis Pāvils ir pārliecinājis un sapulcinājis ap sevi lielu ļaužu pūli, sludinādams, ka tie nav dievi, kas darināti cilvēku rokām. 27 Mums draud ne tikai tas, ka mūsu amats nonāks negodā, bet arī tas, ka lielās dievietes Artemīdas templis tiks noniecināts un iznīks tās dievietes varenība, kuru bīstas visa Āzija un pasaule.” 28 To dzirdēdami, tie kļuva dusmu pilni un kliedza: “Varena ir efesiešu Artemīda!” 29 Visu pilsētu pārņēma sajukums, visi kā viens metās uz amfiteātri, sagrābuši Pāvila pavadoņus – maķedoniešus Gāju un Aristarhu. 30 Kad Pāvils gribēja ieiet pūlī, mācekļi viņam to neļāva. 31 Arī daži aziarhi , būdami viņa draugi, ar sūtņu starpniecību mudināja viņu nedoties uz amfiteātri. 32 Katrs kliedza kaut ko savu; sapulcē izcēlās sajukums, un vairākums vairs nesaprata, kādēļ šeit sapulcējušies. 33 Pēc jūdu priekšlikuma ļaužu pūlis izstūma priekšā Aleksandru. Un Aleksandrs māja, lai tauta apklust un viņš varētu sacīt aizstāvības runu. 34 Uzzinājuši, ka viņš ir jūds, pūlis gandrīz vai divas stundas kliedza vienā balsī: “Varena ir Efesas Artemīda.” 35 Tad pilsētas rakstvedis, nomierinājis pūli, sacīja: “Efesas vīri, kurš cilvēks gan nezina, ka Efesas pilsēta sargā varenās Artemīdas templi un akmens tēlu, kas nokritis no debesīm? 36 Tā kā tas ir neapstrīdami, mums ir jābūt savaldīgiem un nav jādara nekas pārsteidzīgs. 37 Jūs esat atveduši šos vīrus, kas nav nedz tempļu aplaupītāji, nedz mūsu dievietes zaimotāji. 38 Ja Dēmētrijam un viņa amatniekiem ir pret kādu apsūdzība, tādēļ jau ir tiesas dienas un ir prokonsuli, lai viņi tiesājas savā starpā. 39 Bet, ja jūs gribat celt citu prasību, tad to lems likumīgā sapulce. 40 Mums jābīstas, ka šodien pret mums var izvirzīt apsūdzību par dumpi, jo nav iegansta, ar ko mēs varētu attaisnot šos nemierus.” To sacījis, viņš atlaida sapulci.
