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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 19:17 mean?

Explanation

Acts 19:17 recounts an event in Ephesus where the name of the Lord Jesus was glorified following a particular incident involving Jewish exorcists who attempted to invoke Jesus' name to cast out evil spirits.

The previous verses detail how seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were beaten by a possessed man when they tried to exorcize him in the name of Jesus.

The exorcists' failure and humiliation became widely known, which led to both the Jewish and Greek inhabitants of Ephesus developing a newfound respect or fear of the power associated with Jesus Christ.

The verse underscores that recognizing the authority of Jesus is not a matter of merely speaking his name, but requires genuine faith and a relationship with Him.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

During the time of Acts, Ephesus was a city of great commercial and cultural significance situated in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey.

It was known for its temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The city was also a melting pot of paganism, Jewish communities, and the nascent Christian faith. In this environment, miracle workers, magicians, and itinerant exorcists were common.

The Apostle Paul's missionary work in Ephesus led to many conversions to Christianity which started affecting the local economy and pagan worship (Acts 19:23-27).

The incident involving the sons of Sceva demonstrates the clash between the nascent Christian faith and the existing spiritual practices.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, Acts 19:17 illustrates several key themes:

Authority of Jesus: The incident emphasizes that the power to perform miracles, such as exorcisms, comes through a relationship with Jesus, and not just by invoking His name.
Fear of God: The fear that fell upon the Ephesians can be understood as a reverence for God's power, as well as a recognition of the authenticity of Paul's message about Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Warfare: The event provides a glimpse into early Christian views on spiritual warfare - the battle between good and evil forces for the souls of humanity.

Different denominations consider the verse with varying emphasis on the role of exorcism, the use of Jesus' name, and the power of faith.

Practical Applications

Acts 19:17 suggests practical applications for contemporary believers:

Authentic Faith: This event encourages personal reflection on the authenticity of one’s faith and warns against a superficial or performative relationship with God.
Reverence for God: It reminds Christians to approach God with reverence and awe, acknowledging His sovereignty.
Discernment: Believers are called to practice discernment, recognizing that not all spiritual practices align with Christian beliefs.

Cross-References

Acts 19:13-16 (immediately preceding verses recounting the story of the sons of Sceva)
James 2:19 ("Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.")
Philippians 2:9-11 ("Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name...")
Acts 8:13-24 (Simon the sorcerer tries to buy the power of the Holy Spirit)
2 Timothy 3:5 ("Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.")

Language Study

In Acts 19:17, two key Greek terms stand out:

"Fear" (φόβος, phobos): It can mean "fear," "dread," or "reverence," and in this context, it likely entails a mix of fear and awe of God's power.
"Magnified" (μεγαλύνω, megalynō): This implies to make great or to extol.

It suggests that the name of Jesus was held in higher esteem or honor.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The practice of exorcism was present in many ancient cultures, including Jewish and Greco-Roman societies. The use of names and incantations for power over spirits was a common feature in such practices.

In contrast, the Christian approach as presented in Acts relies on the inherent authority given by Jesus Christ rather than on special formulas or incantations.

Scientific Perspectives

In a scientific context, events like the one in Acts 19:17 can be examined from psychological, sociological, and anthropological perspectives.

Modern science tends to approach topics such as demon possession and exorcism with skepticism, often seeking natural explanations for what may have been classified as spiritual phenomena in ancient times.

Commentaries

Commentators give diverse views on Acts 19:17:

Some assert that this verse highlights the contrast between legitimate apostolic miracles performed by Paul and the ineffectual attempts by the impostors.
Others point out that it serves as a testimony to the spread of the Gospel message and the spiritual awakening that resulted from it.
Some emphasize the community's reaction as a pivotal moment for the early Church, where the power of Christ became undeniably evident to believers and non-believers alike.

Acts 19

Acts 19

What does Acts 19:17 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 19:17 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?