The Holy Spirit Received at Ephesus
(Acts 10:44–48)
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior 1and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples 1Co 16:12Act 18:23-281Co 1:12Act 18:1Act 18:19-211Co 3:4-7 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” 1Co 6:19Act 11:15-17Gal 3:5Jhn 7:391Sa 3:7Act 19:51Co 12:1-11Act 10:44
“No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. Act 18:251Co 12:13Act 8:16Luk 3:1-38Mat 28:19Mat 3:1-17
“The baptism of John,” they replied.
Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” Act 1:5Act 11:16Jhn 1:29-34Luk 3:16-18Act 13:23-25Jhn 1:27Jhn 1:7Jhn 3:28-36
On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Act 8:12Act 8:161Co 10:2Act 2:38Rom 6:3-41Co 1:13-15Act 10:48 And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Act 2:4Act 6:6Mrk 16:171Ti 5:221Co 14:1-252Ti 1:6Act 9:171Co 12:8-11 There were about twelve men in all.
Paul Ministers in Ephesus
(Ephesians 1:1–2; Revelation 2:1–7)
Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. Act 1:3Act 28:23Act 9:20-22Jud 1:3Act 13:14Act 13:46Act 14:1Act 17:1-3 But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. Act 19:23Act 18:6-8Act 9:22Pe 2:12Act 14:41Ti 6:52Pe 2:2Act 13:45-46 This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, 2 Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. Act 20:312Ti 1:151Co 1:22-24Act 16:6Col 3:11Gal 3:28Rom 1:16Rom 10:12
God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, Act 5:12Mrk 16:17-20Rom 15:18-19Heb 2:4Act 16:18Act 8:13Gal 3:5Act 15:12 so that even handkerchiefs 3and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them. Act 5:152Ki 13:20-21Mrk 16:172Ki 4:29-31
Seven Sons of Sceva
Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.” Mat 12:27Mrk 9:38Luk 11:19Act 8:18-19Luk 9:49Mrk 5:71Ki 22:16Mat 26:63 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Act 16:17-18Luk 4:33-35Mrk 1:34Mrk 5:9-13Mrk 1:24Luk 8:28-32Mat 8:29-31Gen 3:1-5 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded. Luk 8:29Mrk 5:3-4Luk 8:35Mrk 5:15
This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 2Th 1:122Th 3:1Act 13:12Act 5:11Act 5:5Php 1:20Php 2:9-111Sa 6:20 Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds. Rom 10:10Mat 3:6Psa 32:51Jn 1:9Ezk 16:63Ezk 36:31Jer 3:13Job 33:27-28 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 4 Act 13:8Deu 7:25-26Exo 32:20Gen 35:4Isa 2:20-21Act 13:6Act 8:9-11Dan 2:2 So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail. Act 12:24Act 6:7Isa 55:112Th 3:1
The Riot in Ephesus
After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit 5to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.” Act 20:22Act 20:16Act 23:11Act 18:21Gal 2:1Rom 1:131Co 16:51Th 1:7 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia. 2Ti 4:20Rom 16:23Act 13:5Act 16:1Act 16:3Act 16:9-10Act 18:5Act 19:10
About that time there arose a great disturbance 6about the Way. Act 19:9Act 24:222Co 1:8-10Act 24:14Act 9:22Co 6:9Act 18:26Act 22:4 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business 7to the craftsmen. 1Ti 6:9-10Act 16:16Act 16:19Act 19:27-28Act 19:34-35Isa 56:11-12
Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity. Act 16:19Hos 12:7-82Pe 2:3Hos 4:8Rev 18:11-19Rev 18:3 And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. 1Co 8:4Act 17:29Isa 44:10-20Act 14:15Act 19:10Deu 4:28Rev 9:201Co 10:19-20 There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.” Zep 2:111Ti 6:51Jn 5:19Act 19:21Mat 23:13Rev 13:3Rev 13:8
When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Rev 13:4Rev 17:131Ki 18:26-291Sa 5:3-5Act 16:19-24Act 18:19Act 19:34-35Act 21:28-31 Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. Act 20:4Act 27:2Col 4:10Phm 1:241Co 1:141Co 4:9Act 19:22Act 21:30
Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him. Act 21:392Sa 18:2-32Sa 21:17Act 14:14-18Act 17:22-31 Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia 8sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre. Act 19:10Act 16:6Act 21:12Pro 16:7
Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there. Act 21:34Act 19:29Act 19:40Luk 7:24-26Mat 11:7-9 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people. Act 12:171Ti 1:202Ti 4:14Act 13:16Act 21:40Act 24:10Act 26:1-2Luk 1:22 But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Act 19:28Act 16:20Mat 6:7Rev 13:41Ki 18:26Act 19:26Rom 2:22
Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 2Th 2:10-111Ti 4:2Act 14:12-13Eph 2:12Act 18:19Act 19:26 Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash. Pro 14:29Act 5:35-39Pro 25:8 For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess. 2Co 6:3Rom 2:221Co 10:32Act 25:8
So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there. Act 13:71Co 6:1Act 18:14Deu 17:8 But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly. For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.” 1Ki 1:41Act 17:5-8Act 20:1Act 21:31Act 21:38Mat 26:5
After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. 2Co 1:8-10Ecc 9:17Pro 15:1-2Psa 65:7