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Acts 19

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

And all the men were about twelve.

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

What does Acts 19:15 mean?

Explanation

Acts 19:15 captures a moment of confrontation between an evil spirit and a group attempting to cast out demons by invoking the names of Jesus and the apostle Paul.

In this verse, the evil spirit acknowledges it recognizes Jesus and Paul but challenges the authority of those attempting the exorcism.

The deeper meaning here suggests the importance of having a genuine relationship and authority in spiritual matters.

The use of Jesus' and Paul's names without a personal connection or empowerment by the Holy Spirit is revealed as ineffective against the powers of evil.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The Book of Acts is the fifth book of the New Testament and details the spread of Christianity in the early Church following Jesus Christ's ascension.

Acts 19 relates to Paul's mission in Ephesus, a major Greek city of the Roman Empire known for its temple of Artemis , one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

At that time, Ephesus was a hub for magical practices and the occult.

Paul's impactful ministry in Ephesus led some Jewish exorcists to attempt casting out demons by invoking the name of Jesus, as they observed Paul doing.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints offer insights into this verse:

Charismatic theology emphasizes the need for a personal anointing and power given by the Holy Spirit to cast out demons effectively.
Evangelical theology sees the verse as validation of the unique authority vested in Jesus Christ and the apostles, warning against a casual or formulaic approach to spiritual warfare.
Catholic and Orthodox theologies might underscore the importance of a consecrated life and proper ecclesiastical authority for performing exorcisms.

Practical Applications

The verse in Acts 19:15 can be applied in daily life by highlighting several key points: 1.

Recognize and respect genuine spiritual power and authority. 2.

Understand that names and titles hold no value without sincere faith and rightful association. 3.

Affirm the necessity of personal relationships with Christ rather than ceremonial or superstitious actions. 4.

Encourage reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than solely on one’s strength.

Cross-References

James 2:19 ("Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.")
Mark 9:38-39 ("And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.")
Luke 10:17 ("And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.")

Language Study

The key term in the original Greek text is "ἴσμεν" (ismen) which translates as "we know," indicating recognition or awareness.

The phrase "ὁ Ἰησοῦς" (ho Iesous) refers to Jesus, and "ὁ Παῦλος" (ho Paulos) refers to Paul. The spirit uses the term "γινώσκω" (ginosko) for know, a term also signifying knowledge that is absolute and often relational rather than just factual.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader Greco-Roman world, exorcisms were not uncommon, and it was a cultural norm to attempt to control spirits by invoking more powerful beings or gods.

This event in Acts contrasts by stressing that true power over evil spirits comes from a rightful relationship with the one true God, rather than using magic or invoking deities typical in other religions of the time.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, this verse would be scrutinized under the lens of psychology, psychiatry, or neurology regarding possessions and treatments.

Science would generally not affirm the existence of evil spirits; thus, the passage would often be interpreted as an ancient understanding of what today might be described as a mental health issue.

Commentaries

Commentary from biblical scholars often emphasizes the uniqueness of the believers' relationship with Christ that the exorcists lacked.

For instance, the Expositor's Bible Commentary suggests that the power to cast out demons was directly connected to faith in Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, which these Jewish exorcists lacked.

Matthew Henry's Commentary adds that the spirit's recognition of Jesus and Paul underlines not only their relevance but also the impotence of the exorcists, who did not have Christ's authority.

Acts 19

Acts 19

What does Acts 19:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 19:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?